JS Runtimes
06. Modern JS Runtimes: Node.js 24, Bun & Deno 2
Benchmark execution speed, cold-start latency, package management performance, security sandbox permissions, and Web API parity across top runtimes.
engines.ts
// Modern Runtimes Comparison: Node.js 24 vs Bun 1.2 vs Deno 2.2
// 1. Native Web Standards (Universal across all runtimes)
const response = new Response(JSON.stringify({ runtime: 'Universal' }), {
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
});
// 2. Runtime Specific Primitives:
// Bun: High performance native HTTP server
// export default {
// port: 3000,
// fetch(req) { return new Response("Bun Server running!"); }
// };
// Deno 2: Native permission sandbox
// Deno.serve({ port: 3000 }, () => new Response("Deno 2 Zero-Config Server"));
// Node.js 24: Native TypeScript execution without loaders
// node --experimental-strip-types app.tsModern JavaScript Runtimes: Node.js 24, Bun & Deno 2
The JavaScript runtime landscape in 2026 offers distinct trade-offs across execution engines, security models, cold-start latency, and tooling integration.
- Node.js 24 LTS: The industry standard runtime featuring native TypeScript execution (type stripping), built-in SQLite, and stable permission models.
- Bun 1.2: An all-in-one toolkit powered by WebKit JavaScriptCore and Zig with instant package installs, native bundler, and ultra-fast cold starts.
- Deno 2.2: A secure-by-default runtime with granular CLI permissions, out-of-the-box npm compatibility, and deep Web Standards compliance.
Runtime Benchmark & Feature Matrix Runtime Comparison
Underlying Engine:
JavaScriptCore (WebKit) + Zig
Security Model:
Direct OS access, high-throughput IPC
Cold Start Latency:
4.5 ms
Package Install (100 pkgs):
0.35 s
Core Architectural Highlights:
- • Built-in bundler, test runner & package manager
- • Native Web APIs (fetch, WebSocket, Streams)
- • Zero-transpilation TypeScript & JSX execution