Bun - The Practical Guide
Learn Bun as a modern JavaScript and TypeScript runtime, package manager, test runner, build tool, and full-stack backend platform.
About This Course
Welcome to "Bun - The Practical Guide"!
You’ve probably heard that Bun is fast, but it can still be hard to tell what that means for real projects.
Is Bun a Node.js alternative, a package manager, a test runner, a bundler, or an all-in-one toolkit? And when should you actually reach for Bun instead of the tools you already know?
This course gives you a practical, developer-focused path through Bun’s most important capabilities: the runtime, package and project management, Node.js compatibility, HTTP servers, routing, built-in file and image APIs, SQLite and SQL support, S3-compatible storage, WebSockets, testing, and build workflows.
Instead of turning the course into a slow type-along, the examples are finished and explained in depth so you can focus on understanding how Bun works, where it helps, and how the pieces fit together.
By the end, you’ll be ready to use Bun confidently in modern web projects, judge when Bun is the right tool, guide or review generated Bun code, and understand a complete social network app powered by Bun’s runtime, APIs, and tooling.
Why Learn Bun?
Bun can replace or simplify several parts of a modern JavaScript and TypeScript workflow. This course helps you move beyond headline performance claims and understand how to use Bun intentionally: as a runtime, package manager, test runner, build tool, and backend platform.
What's in This Course?
You’ll go beyond “Bun is fast” and learn how to use its runtime, package manager, test runner, built-in APIs, and project workflows in practical JavaScript and TypeScript applications.
Understand & Adopt Bun
Learn what Bun actually is, where it overlaps with Node.js, how to
run TypeScript directly, manage dependencies, and configure projects
with bunfig.toml.
Build Bun-powered Servers
Create HTTP servers with Bun.serve(), handle requests
and responses, define routes, process form data, and structure
server logic.
Use Core Bun APIs
Work with files, static imports, globbing, Markdown, image processing, environment variables, SQLite, SQL/PostgreSQL, S3-compatible storage, and WebSockets.
Test, Build & Analyze Apps
Use Bun’s test runner and build features, ship single-file executables, and explore a complete social network app powered by Bun.
In Detail, You'll Learn
The course starts with Bun essentials and then moves into the APIs and backend workflows that make Bun useful in real projects.
Bun Essentials & Tooling
Build a solid foundation for using Bun productively:
- What Bun is and how it compares to Node.js
- Installing Bun and running JavaScript or TypeScript directly
- Managing projects, packages, dependencies, and scripts
- Using Bun for dev servers, watch modes, and builds
- Writing automated tests with Bun’s built-in test runner
- Configuring Bun with
bunfig.toml - Creating CLIs and single-file executable tools
Core APIs & Backend Workflows
Use Bun’s built-in APIs in practical backend scenarios:
- Creating HTTP servers and routing with Bun
- Handling requests, responses, dynamic routes, and form data
- Working with files, static imports, globbing, and Markdown
- Processing images with Bun’s Image API
- Using SQLite, SQL queries, transactions, and PostgreSQL
- Uploading and serving files with S3-compatible storage
- Building WebSocket servers and clients
Explore Real Bun Projects Step by Step
Throughout the course, you’ll learn from practical examples such as a basic web server, utility CLI, image optimization tool, blog workflows, and a complete social network app that combines Bun routing, SQLite, S3-compatible image uploads, image optimization, and automated tests.
Built for Web Developers, Node.js Developers & Fullstack Builders
See The Course In Action
Example Curriculum
- Welcome To The Course (0:55)
- What Is Bun? And Why Would You Use It? (4:37)
- Installing Bun & About This Course (1:26)
- Running TypeScript Code (1:15)
- Bun AI Agent Skill
- Bun's Node.js Compatibility (0:52)
- Bun For Package & Project Management (4:07)
- The Bun Runtime in Action - Building a Web Server (7:41)
- Using Bun For Dependency Management (4:51)
- Dev Servers, Watch Modes & Building Projects with Bun (5:12)
- Using Bun For Automated Testing (3:24)
- Configuring Bun via bunfig.toml (2:27)
- Example: Building a Utility CLI Tool with Bun (3:49)
- Example: Building an Image Optimization Tool with Bun (16:57)
- Creating Standalone, Single File Executable Files (2:57)
- Node.js Compatibility & "Forcing" The Bun Runtime (5:04)
- Module Introduction (0:42)
- Creating a Bun Server (4:00)
- Basic Custom Routing & Managing Incoming Requests (3:31)
- Serving HTML Files (2:58)
- Using Bun's Router Feature (4:49)
- Working with Dynamic Routes (0:50)
- Bun's File Loaders & Support For Various Input Files (8:35)
- File Imports vs Bun's File API (2:22)
- Using Bun's File APIs (5:50)
- The Glob API (4:05)
- Handling & Rendering Markdown with Bun (5:57)
- Markdown, Frontmatter & Creating a Blog Site (6:53)
- Optimizing Images with Bun (Image API) (8:30)
- Example: Image Optimization in a Blog Website (5:33)
- Bun's SQLite API (6:06)
- Alternative: Importing SQLite Files (1:48)
- SQLite: Config & Base Methods (1:47)
- Working with (Dynamic) SQLite Queries (10:24)
- Managing Environment Variables with Bun (3:19)
- Using Bun's SQL Client (5:18)
- Understanding SQL Query Execution (0:54)
- SQL Transactions (1:28)
- Using Bun SQL With Postgres (5:32)
- Understanding S3 & Object Stores
- Bun's S3 Client API (6:47)
- Uploading via S3 Client (6:06)
- Listing Files & Downloading Files (S3) (3:25)
- Presigned URLs (S3) (2:41)
- Using fetch() For S3 Access (1:19)
- Bun Websockets: Server (8:03)
- Bun Websockets: Connecting to the Server (7:49)
- Bun Websockets: Client (2:15)
- Module Introduction (2:26)
- Project Structure & The Bun Agent Skill (2:45)
- Project Overview: The Frontend (Non Bun) (1:32)
- Analyzing the Bun API Server (4:23)
- Understanding the Routing Logic (Bun Router) (6:49)
- Auth (better-auth) & Helper Functions (4:01)
- Using Bun SQLite (2:41)
- Image Uploads to R2 via Bun's S3 Client (9:36)
- Optimizing Images via Bun Image API (2:50)
- Bun-powered Automated Testing (2:14)
Course Prerequisites
Here's what you need to get the most out of this course
- Basic JavaScript knowledge is required.
- Node.js experience is helpful but not required.
- No prior Bun experience is required.
All pre-requisites are covered by courses in our "Academind Pro" Membership.
Your Instructor
Maximilian Schwarzmüller
Founder & Instructor
Self-taught developer with 3,500,000+ students and 900,000 YouTube subscribers. I co-founded Academind with Manuel Lorenz to help people master new skills and build amazing projects.
Join 841 happy students!
Choose the plan that works best for you
Single-Course License
Full access to "Bun - The Practical Guide"
This is a one-time payment that grants access to this course only, not to any other courses.
Academind Pro Membership
Unlimited access to this and all other current & future courses!
This is a recurring payment. You can cancel anytime from your profile. For more info, contact Academind.
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