Best Tools for Bun in 2026

Bun's native bundler is fast and handles most use cases out of the box — JSX, TypeScript, tree-shaking, and code splitting. Still lacks some esbuild plugin compatibility, but it's improving every release.

No extra dependency — bundling is built into the runtime

An HTML entry point plugin for Bun's bundler that handles multi-page apps. Processes HTML files, resolves script and link tags, and outputs optimized bundles. Fills a gap the built-in bundler doesn't cover yet.

Integrates Tailwind CSS processing directly into Bun's bundler pipeline. Eliminates the need for PostCSS in Bun projects. Still community-maintained, so check compatibility with your Tailwind version.

While Bun has its own bundler, esbuild remains relevant for its massive plugin ecosystem. Many Bun projects still use esbuild for production builds when specific plugins are needed.

A Bun-specific feature that runs code at bundle time and inlines the result. Replace environment checks, configuration loading, and build-time computations with zero runtime cost. Powerful but Bun-only.

Run code at bundle time and inline the result

Bun's built-in test runner with Jest-compatible API. Runs tests significantly faster than Jest or Vitest with zero configuration. Snapshot testing, mocking, and lifecycle hooks all included.

Jest-compatible tests at Bun speed — zero config needed

Works seamlessly with Bun for E2E testing. Run your Bun server in the test setup, then test with Playwright's browser automation. The combination is surprisingly smooth.

A fast JavaScript implementation of the browser DOM for server-side testing. Lighter and faster than jsdom, making it ideal for Bun's speed-focused philosophy. Great for component testing without a browser.

2-3x faster than jsdom for DOM simulation

Bun and Biome share the same philosophy — replace slow JavaScript tools with fast native alternatives. Biome handles linting and formatting for Bun projects without the ESLint config headache.

V8's built-in code coverage tool that works with Bun test. Generates coverage reports without instrumenting your code. Lightweight alternative to Istanbul for Bun projects.

Works with Bun for mocking HTTP requests in tests. The Node.js adapter is compatible with Bun's runtime. Essential for testing API integrations without hitting real endpoints.

A lightweight web framework that runs on Bun, Deno, Cloudflare Workers, and Node.js. The fastest way to build APIs with Bun — middleware, routing, and validation in under 14KB.

Ultra-fast web framework designed for Bun and edge runtimes

A Bun-native web framework with end-to-end type safety and a plugin system. Built specifically for Bun's APIs, so it squeezes out performance other frameworks leave on the table. Bun-only though.

Built for Bun from scratch — end-to-end type-safe APIs

Bun includes a high-performance SQLite driver built in. No npm install, no native addon compilation. Perfect for local-first apps, embedded databases, and prototyping.

Built-in SQLite driver — no dependencies needed

Write shell scripts in JavaScript with Bun's built-in $ template literal. Cross-platform, pipeable, and you get JavaScript's full power. Replaced most of my bash scripts.

Write cross-platform shell scripts in JavaScript

Bun's implementation of Web Workers for multi-threaded JavaScript. Uses message passing and shared memory for CPU-intensive work. The API matches the browser standard, so code is portable.

A better dotenv for Bun and Node projects. Supports encryption, multiple environments, and variable expansion. Works seamlessly with Bun's runtime and doesn't require any Bun-specific setup.

Bun provides official Docker images based on Debian and Alpine. The images are small and production-ready. The oven/bun image is the easiest way to deploy Bun apps in containerized environments.

Official lightweight Docker images for Bun

Deploy Bun apps globally with a Dockerfile and fly launch. Edge deployment with persistent volumes and built-in Postgres. One of the few platforms that runs Bun well without workarounds.

Global edge deployment that works great with Bun

Detects and deploys Bun projects automatically from git. Zero-config deployment with built-in databases and cron jobs. The simplest path from git push to production for Bun apps.

Supports Bun as a runtime environment with native build support. Auto-scaling, managed databases, and background workers. Straightforward pricing without the surprises of serverless billing.

Self-hostable PaaS that runs Bun apps via Docker on your own servers. Full control over infrastructure with a Vercel-like developer experience. No per-deployment or per-request pricing.

Self-hosted deployment platform with no usage fees

Bun's built-in single-executable compiler bundles your app into a standalone binary. No runtime installation needed on the target machine. Perfect for CLI tools and distributing apps.

Compile your app into a single executable binary