Setting up Bun.js Projects

🚀 Setting up Bun.js Projects

If you're looking for a lightning-fast, all-in-one JavaScript runtime, bundler, transpiler, and package manager — Bun.js is what you need. It's built from the ground up in Zig and optimized for performance, offering a modern alternative to Node.js and npm. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to set up a fresh Bun.js project from scratch.

🔧 Prerequisites for Bun

Before you get started, make sure you have the following:

• macOS, Linux, or WSL2 (Windows)
• curl installed on your system
• Basic command line knowledge

Ready? Let’s go!

📦 Installing Bun.js

The easiest way to install Bun is via the terminal using curl:

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

After installation, restart your terminal or run the following command to add Bun to your shell environment:

source ~/.bashrc    # or ~/.zshrc depending on your shell

📁 Creating a New Bun Project

Once Bun is installed, you can scaffold a new project instantly with:

bun init

This will prompt you to enter details like:

• Project name
• Entry point (default: index.ts)
• Package manager (Bun is selected automatically)

Bun will then generate a project structure that includes:

• bun.lockb - Bun’s lockfile
• index.ts - Your entry TypeScript file
• package.json - Project metadata
• tsconfig.json - TypeScript config

⚙️ Running Your Bun Project

To run your app, simply use:

bun index.ts

That’s it! Bun executes your TypeScript or JavaScript files directly — no need for compilation or transpilation steps.

🧪 Adding Dependencies

Bun includes its own ultra-fast package manager, which means no more waiting on slow installs. Install packages like this:

bun add axios

And for dev dependencies:

bun add -d typescript eslint

No need for separate tools — Bun handles it all.

📜 Example index.ts File

Here’s a simple example using Bun to create a basic HTTP server:

const server = Bun.serve({
  port: 3000,
  fetch(req) {
    return new Response("Hello from Bun.js! 🎉");
  }
});

console.log("Server running at http://localhost:3000");

Run it using:

bun index.ts

📂 Optional: Creating Directory Structure

You can structure your Bun.js project however you'd like. Here’s a common setup:

my-bun-app/
├── src/
│   └── index.ts
├── public/
│   └── index.html
├── bun.lockb
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json

⚡ Bun Features You Should Explore Next

• Built-in test runner using bun test
• Fast transpilation with built-in esbuild-like compiler
• Plugin system for handling custom file types
• Hot reloading for development efficiency

🎯 Final Thoughts

Setting up Bun.js Projects is as simple as it is powerful. With a single command, you get everything you need to start building fast and efficient applications. Bun’s performance, combined with its built-in tooling, makes it a solid choice for modern JavaScript and TypeScript development. Give it a spin, and you might not want to go back!