Node.js is the default, but should it be? Bun and Deno have come a long way in compatibility and there are reasons that can make them better choices depending on the project.

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A freelance developer's practical comparison of Node.js, Deno, and Bun based on real client projects. Deno shines for security-sensitive workloads (permission-based sandboxing, self-contained binary distribution) and low-friction TypeScript tooling. Bun excels at raw speed — package installs, dev server startup, and test runs are dramatically faster — and consolidates package manager, bundler, test runner, and TypeScript execution into one tool. Node.js remains the right default when team scaling, enterprise compliance, or ecosystem breadth are the primary constraints. The key takeaway: runtime choice should be deliberate and constraint-driven, not habitual. A hybrid approach (Bun for dev toolchain, Node.js in production) is often the pragmatic middle ground.

When Deno or Bun is a Better Solution than Node.js – Frontend Masters Blog