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Comparison guide

Bun vs Deno vs Nodejs

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Deno

3.3 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Bun

2.8M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Deno

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Bun

80/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Bun

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

bun icon

bun

Very Popular

Version 1.3.14

0
86
Excellent

Bun is a fast all-in-one JavaScript runtime.

Weekly Downloads
2.8M
30%
Bundle (gzip)
6.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
80
Popularity
100
Quality
80
Security
100
Stability
70
deno icon

deno

Popular

Version 2.9.4

0
88
Excellent

A modern runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript.

Weekly Downloads
219.2K
115%
Bundle (gzip)
3.3 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
80
Quality
80
Security
100
Stability
70

nodejs

Niche

Version 0.0.0

0
55
Fair
Weekly Downloads
3.5K
35%
Bundle (gzip)
0 B
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
40
Popularity
40
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Bun and Deno and Nodejs? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Bun leads with 2.8M weekly downloads — roughly 12.8x more. Deno has 219.2K weekly downloads. Nodejs has 3.5K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Nodejs has the smallest gzipped bundle at 0 B. Deno comes in at 3.3 KB. Bun comes in at 6.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Deno has an overall health score of 88/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Bun has an overall health score of 86/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Nodejs has an overall health score of 55/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Bun if you value large community support, strong security track record. Choose Deno if you value minimal bundle footprint, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Nodejs if you value strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Bun and Deno and Nodejs are solid choices for JavaScript development. Deno has the edge in overall health score (88/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bun better than deno?
It depends on your needs. Bun has a health score of 86/100 while Deno scores 88/100. Bun has more weekly downloads (2.8M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, bun or deno?
Deno has the smaller gzipped bundle at 3.3 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use bun vs deno?
Based on npm download statistics, Bun has approximately 2.8M weekly downloads and Deno has approximately 219.2K weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, bun or deno?
Deno currently has the higher overall health score at 88/100. Bun has a maintenance score of 80/100 and Deno scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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