Why We Chose Bun Over npm for This Boilerplate
Exploring the performance benefits and developer experience improvements that made Bun our package manager of choice.
Yuval Avidani
Author
When building a modern web development boilerplate, every decision matters. The choice of package manager might seem small, but it impacts every developer who uses your template. Here's why we chose Bun.
Speed That Actually Matters
Bun installs packages up to 30x faster than npm. This isn't just a benchmark number — it's time saved on every install, every CI run, every new developer onboarding.
When you run bun install, you'll notice the difference immediately. In our testing, a fresh install of this boilerplate's dependencies takes about 2 seconds with Bun, compared to over 30 seconds with npm.
That's not a typo.
Native TypeScript Support
Bun runs TypeScript natively without any compilation step. This means faster development server startup, quicker test runs, and a simpler toolchain.
No more waiting for tsc or dealing with complex build configurations just to run your code.
Built-in Bundler and Test Runner
Instead of juggling multiple tools, Bun includes a bundler and test runner out of the box. This reduces dependencies, simplifies configuration, and ensures all your tools work together seamlessly.
"The best tool is the one that gets out of your way and lets you focus on building."
The Developer Experience
Beyond raw performance, Bun focuses on developer experience. The CLI is intuitive, error messages are helpful, and the documentation is excellent.
It feels like a tool built by developers who understand the daily frustrations of JavaScript development.
Making the Switch
If you're coming from npm or yarn, the transition is smooth. Bun is compatible with existing package.json files and node_modules. You can start using it today without changing your project structure.
The future of JavaScript tooling is fast, and Bun is leading the way.