GitHub Actions with Bun

⚙️ Introduction to GitHub Actions with Bun

Bun has revolutionized the JavaScript runtime landscape with its blazing-fast performance and native tooling. When it comes to CI/CD, GitHub Actions makes automation seamless for every step of the development pipeline. In this guide, we’ll explore how to integrate Bun with GitHub Actions to automate tasks like running tests, building projects, and deploying applications.

📦 Why Use Bun in CI/CD?

Bun is not just a runtime – it comes with a native test runner, bundler, and package manager. This all-in-one toolchain eliminates the need for multiple dependencies and drastically speeds up workflows. When combined with GitHub Actions, it empowers developers to run fast and reliable pipelines directly from their repositories.

🚀 Setting Up a Basic Workflow

Let’s create a simple GitHub Actions workflow that installs Bun, installs dependencies, and runs tests.

Step 1: Create a file in your repo at .github/workflows/bun.yml

name: Bun CI

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
      - name: 📥 Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: 🛠️ Install Bun
        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v1

      - name: 📦 Install dependencies
        run: bun install

      - name: ✅ Run tests
        run: bun test

That’s it! This simple config ensures that every push or PR to the main branch triggers a test run using Bun.

🧪 Running Custom Scripts with Bun

If your project includes custom scripts like build or linting commands, you can easily add them as additional steps.

      - name: 🧹 Lint code
        run: bun lint

      - name: 🏗️ Build project
        run: bun run build

Make sure your package.json includes those scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "lint": "eslint .",
    "build": "bun build index.ts"
  }
}

🛡️ Caching Dependencies

To optimize workflow speed, cache your Bun dependencies:

      - name: 🔁 Cache Bun dependencies
        uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: ~/.bun/install/cache
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-bun-${{ hashFiles('bun.lockb') }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-bun-

This will restore previously cached dependencies and prevent redundant downloads.

📤 Deployment Automation

You can also hook deployment steps post-build. For example, deploying to Vercel or uploading to an S3 bucket:

      - name: 🚀 Deploy to Vercel
        run: vercel --prod --token=${{ secrets.VERCEL_TOKEN }}

Just make sure to configure your secrets securely in the GitHub repository settings.

🔍 Debugging & Logs

If something goes wrong, GitHub Actions provides detailed logs per step. For advanced debugging:

      - name: Debug Env
        run: env

You can also echo variables to check their values:

      - name: Check Node version
        run: node -v

🎯 Final Thoughts

Integrating Bun with GitHub Actions is straightforward, powerful, and ultra-fast. Whether you're building a side project or managing production pipelines, this combination boosts your automation game significantly. Take full advantage of Bun’s native tooling and let GitHub Actions handle the rest.

Start small, automate often, and let Bun do the heavy lifting!