Comparison with Other Tools

Understanding how bunenv compares to other tools helps you choose the right solution for your needs.

bunenv vs nodeenv

bunenv is directly adapted from nodeenv, bringing the same proven architecture to the Bun ecosystem.

Similarities

Both tools share the same core philosophy:

  • Isolated environments: Keep projects separate

  • Version management: Multiple versions on one machine

  • Activation scripts: Similar shell integration

  • Python integration: Work inside Python virtualenvs

  • Zero config: Work out of the box with sensible defaults

Key Differences

Feature

nodeenv

bunenv

Runtime

Node.js

Bun

Package Manager

npm (separate binary)

Built into Bun (all-in-one)

Version Source

nodejs.org index.json

GitHub Releases API

Source Builds

Supported

Not available (prebuilt only)

LTS Support

Yes (Node.js LTS)

Not yet (Bun doesn’t have LTS)

Architecture Names

Standard (x64, arm64)

Bun-specific (aarch64 for ARM)

Environment Variables

NODE_PATH, NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX

BUN_INSTALL, BUN_INSTALL_BIN

Maturity

Stable, 10+ years

New, based on nodeenv

When to Choose bunenv over nodeenv

Choose bunenv if you:

✓ Use Bun for your JavaScript runtime

✓ Want all-in-one tooling (runtime + package manager + bundler)

✓ Need faster package installation

✓ Work with Bun-specific features

Choose nodeenv if you:

✓ Use Node.js or npm-specific features

✓ Need LTS version support

✓ Require source builds from git

✓ Have established Node.js tooling

bunenv vs asdf

asdf is a multi-runtime version manager supporting Node, Ruby, Python, and more.

Feature

asdf

bunenv

Isolation

Version switching, not full isolation

Fully isolated environments

Multiple Versions

One active at a time (global/local)

Multiple active simultaneously

Shell Integration

Required (shell hooks)

Optional (activation scripts)

Language Support

Many runtimes via plugins

Bun only

Python Integration

Separate tools

Native (install in virtualenv)

Setup Complexity

Plugin installation required

Zero configuration

Dependencies

Shell-dependent

Python only

Practical Comparison

asdf:

# Global version
asdf install bun latest
asdf global bun latest

# Per-project version
cd project
echo "1.3.3" > .tool-versions
asdf install bun 1.3.3
asdf local bun 1.3.3

bunenv:

# Per-project environment
cd project
bunenv .venv --bun=1.3.3
source .venv/bin/activate

# Multiple projects active simultaneously
cd ../other-project
bunenv .venv --bun=1.0.0
source .venv/bin/activate  # Doesn't affect first project

When to Choose bunenv over asdf

Choose bunenv if you:

✓ Need true isolation (not just version switching)

✓ Want multiple Bun versions active simultaneously

✓ Use Python + Bun together

✓ Prefer activation over global version files

✓ Don’t want shell-level integration

Choose asdf if you:

✓ Manage multiple language runtimes

✓ Prefer global version management

✓ Want per-directory automatic switching

✓ Use the asdf ecosystem

bunenv vs mise

mise (formerly rtx) is a modern asdf alternative written in Rust.

Feature

mise

bunenv

Isolation

Version switching

Full environment isolation

Performance

Very fast (Rust)

Fast (Python)

Configuration

.mise.toml, .tool-versions

.bun-version, .bunenvrc

Task Runner

Yes (built-in)

No (use Bun’s task runner)

Environment Variables

Advanced (mise.toml)

Basic (activation scripts)

Python Integration

Can manage Python

Works with Python

When to Choose bunenv over mise

Choose bunenv if you:

✓ Need true isolation per project

✓ Work in Python-centric workflows

✓ Want environments portable across machines

✓ Prefer explicit activation

Choose mise if you:

✓ Manage multiple languages

✓ Want automatic version switching

✓ Use mise’s task runner

✓ Need advanced environment variable management

bunenv vs Homebrew/apt/System Install

System package managers install Bun globally.

Feature

System Install

bunenv

Isolation

None (global)

Full per-project

Multiple Versions

One only

Unlimited

Setup Time

Fastest

Quick (~30 seconds)

Disk Usage

~50MB total

~50MB per environment

Updates

System package manager

Per environment

Reproducibility

System-dependent

Environment-specific

Practical Comparison

System Install (Homebrew):

# Install
brew install bun

# All projects use same version
cd project-a && bun --version  # 1.3.3
cd project-b && bun --version  # 1.3.3

# Upgrading affects all projects
brew upgrade bun

bunenv:

# Install per project
cd project-a
bunenv .venv --bun=1.3.3
source .venv/bin/activate
bun --version  # 1.3.3

cd ../project-b
bunenv .venv --bun=1.0.0
source .venv/bin/activate
bun --version  # 1.0.0

When to Use System Install

Choose system install if you:

✓ Only use one Bun version

✓ Don’t need version isolation

✓ Use Bun for personal scripts/tools

✓ Want simplest possible setup

Choose bunenv if you:

✓ Maintain multiple projects

✓ Need different Bun versions

✓ Want reproducible environments

✓ Collaborate with teams

bunenv vs Docker

Docker provides complete environment isolation.

Feature

Docker

bunenv

Isolation

Complete (containers)

Process (environment)

Overhead

High (virtualization)

Minimal (local binary)

Speed

Slower (container startup)

Fast (native execution)

Production Parity

Excellent

Moderate

Complexity

Higher (Dockerfile, etc.)

Lower (one command)

Disk Usage

Large (full images)

Small (Bun only)

Practical Comparison

Docker:

# Dockerfile
FROM oven/bun:1.3.3
WORKDIR /app
COPY package.json bun.lockb ./
RUN bun install
COPY . .
CMD ["bun", "run", "start"]

# Build and run
docker build -t myapp .
docker run -p 3000:3000 myapp

bunenv:

# Local development
bunenv .venv --bun=1.3.3
source .venv/bin/activate
bun install
bun run start

Combined Approach

Use both for optimal workflow:

# Development: bunenv (fast iteration)
bunenv .venv --bun=1.3.3
source .venv/bin/activate
bun run dev

# Production: Docker (consistency)
docker build -t myapp .
docker run myapp

This gives you fast local development with production parity for deployment.

bunenv vs Official Bun Installer

Bun’s official installer (curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash) installs system-wide.

Feature

Official Installer

bunenv

Installation

Shell script

Python package

Version Management

Upgrades in-place

Multiple isolated versions

Scope

User-level (~/.bun)

Project-level (.venv)

Dependencies

None

Python 3.10+

CI/CD

GitHub Actions available

Python-based workflows

When to Use Official Installer

Choose official installer if you:

✓ Want official Bun installation method

✓ Only need one Bun version

✓ Don’t use Python tooling

✓ Want minimal dependencies

Choose bunenv if you:

✓ Maintain multiple projects with different versions

✓ Use Python-based development workflows

✓ Need project-specific isolation

✓ Want version pinning per project

Summary Matrix

Quick decision guide:

Use Case

Best Tool

Alternative

Notes

Single project, one Bun version

System install

Official installer

Simplest approach

Multiple projects, different versions

bunenv

asdf/mise

True isolation

Python + Bun integration

bunenv

Manual setup

Native integration

Multi-language version management

asdf/mise

bunenv + pyenv

Broader scope

Production deployments

Docker

System install

Containerization

CI/CD workflows

bunenv

GitHub Actions

Reproducible builds

Teaching/workshops

bunenv

Docker

Easy setup

Testing multiple Bun versions

bunenv

Docker matrix

Parallel testing

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Polyglot Full-Stack Developer

Needs: Python backend + Bun frontend

Best solution: bunenv

# Python virtualenv
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Add Bun to same environment
pip install bunenv
bunenv --python-virtualenv --bun=1.3.3

# Both tools in one environment
python manage.py runserver &
bun run dev

Scenario 2: Multi-Service Monorepo

Needs: Different services with different Bun versions

Best solution: bunenv (per-service environments)

services/
├── api/.venv (Bun 1.3.3)
├── worker/.venv (Bun 1.2.0)
└── frontend/.venv (Bun latest)

# Each service isolated
cd services/api && source .venv/bin/activate

Scenario 3: Library Maintainer

Needs: Test against multiple Bun versions

Best solution: bunenv (test matrix)

for version in 1.0.0 1.1.0 1.2.0 1.3.0; do
  bunenv "test-$version" --bun="$version"
  source "test-$version/bin/activate"
  bun test
  deactivate_bun
done

Scenario 4: Enterprise Developer

Needs: Controlled environments, corporate proxy

Best solution: bunenv (with mirror)

# Corporate mirror
bunenv .venv --mirror=https://artifacts.corp.com/bun/releases \
             --github-token=corporate_token

Conclusion

bunenv excels at:

✓ Project-level isolation: Each project gets its own Bun

✓ Python integration: Works seamlessly with Python tools

✓ Version pinning: Reproducible builds across teams

✓ Simplicity: Zero configuration, fast setup

It’s inspired by nodeenv’s proven approach, bringing the same reliability to the Bun ecosystem.

Choose the tool that matches your workflow - and remember, you can often combine tools for the best of both worlds!

Next Steps