Node.js is a long-running framework that allows you to write server-side code in JavaScript. Originally released in 2009, the framework has seen considerable growth and an explosion in usage over recent years.

Deno has differences in formatting style, import syntax, and package management, but the same engineer built these competing frameworks on the same engine.

Today, Deno has existed for long enough to earn a place in the stacks of many developers. If you're seeking to start a new JavaScript project you may find yourself wondering which is the right choice.

Node and Deno Features

Nearly nine years after the release of Node, its developer, Ryan Dahl, announced a new project: Deno. Where Node was once the only option for server-side JavaScript, Deno has given us an alternative.

Node.js and Deno are quite similar in many ways. The majority of the differences between the two occur under the hood. Where Node runs on the V8 JavaScript engine, Deno runs overtop of a custom-written engine built in Rust with a strong focus on performance.

A developer setup with a keyboard and laptop sitting on a desk.

Most of the major differences between the two are based on which features each language supports. Modules, linting, typescript, and package management are all handled quite differently between the two.

Module Imports: CommonJS vs. ES

Node.js uses CommonJS modules by default with the require() syntax. Node does allow you to change this by altering your configuration files to use ECMAScript modules with the import() syntax instead if they would like.

        // This Is A Valid CommonJS Module Import In Node.js
var _ = require("lodash");

// This Is A Valid ECMAScript Module Import In Node.js
import _ from 'lodash';

There is some limited interoperability between the two types of ES module loading with some ECMAScript modules being capable of inclusion using the require() syntax. Each import type handles modules slightly differently, but either one will work in the majority of cases.

This allows you to choose your preferred methodology for including external modules when creating a project.

Deno takes a different approach when it comes to including external modules in a project. Deno uses the include() syntax for all modules, however, unlike Node’s import, Modules imported in Deno can come from any location. These locations can even include remote content delivery networks (CDNs).

        // This Is A Valid Import Statement In Deno
import "https://deno.land/x/lodash@4.17.19/dist/lodash.js";

This enables you to import dependencies from any location, local or remote, offering far greater flexibility. If you prefer to work with the traditional require syntax from Node.js, you can write your own polyfill require function in Deno as a workaround.

Support for TypeScript Code

TypeScript has seen increasing growth in popularity over the last few years, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Bringing type-safe code dynamics to JavaScript has proved to be a wildly successful endeavor.

Today, setting up a new TypeScript project, or converting an existing Node.js project to TypeScript is simple, if somewhat time-consuming.

Adding TypeScript support has become popular enough that most modern frameworks now have some form of TypeScript support. Angular led the way, with out-of-the-box TypeScript support. Today, even React has methods to set up TypeScript support.

A developer writing React code on a laptop.

Deno was designed with TypeScript support included to help enhance your productivity. With out-of-the-box TypeScript support, Deno lacks even the minimal setup required by Node.js to set out developing typed JavaScript code.

If you have a love for TypeScript, you can get started quickly and easily with Deno’s support, but may find yourself missing some of the standard Node.js libraries. While Deno offers a quicker setup, the lack of a developed ecosystem may hamper you in your build process.

Linting to Generate Cleaner Code

Node.js has a wide variety of linters for you to choose from. There are plenty of well-developed options that you can quickly and easily install and configure. Much like the case of TypeScript, however, you will need to do a little bit of legwork to get started with their linter of choice.

Deno took a slightly different route in code formatting, coming with its own built-in linting solution for .js, .ts, and .md files. Running the "deno fmt" command will automatically format any files in the current working directory.

If you aren’t a fan of the default linter, there’s an option to install and run your formatting system of choice, just like you would with Node. Switching systems is simple as Deno’s linter runs via an external command and not as part of the default build pipeline.

If you’re considering swapping out Deno’s linter for a new system, you should be aware of potential compatibility issues and keep them in mind. Most JavaScript linters will require an installation of Node to run, even if it isn’t the system on which the project being formatted is running.

Package Management

Node package manager (npm) is very well-known among modern developers. Building on the success of similar systems like Python’s Pip and Ruby’s RubyGems, npm quickly gained popularity.

Lingering concerns lead to the development of competing managers, such as pNPm and Yarn. There are some situations in which you may even choose to install and use multiple package managers with Node.

Today, if you choose to develop in Node.js, you are somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to package management. Node boasts a thriving ecosystem with plenty of options for packages to install. There are currently over 1.3 million in the main npm registry.

Npm lets you publish your own packages, leading to a staggeringly large library.

React code on a screen.

Deno took an entirely different approach to package management. It neither has, nor requires, a package management system. Instead, Deno allows the direct import of external libraries from not only the developer’s system, but any location that accepts HTTP requests.

This allows you to import libraries from Deno’s repository, or any CDN online, directly from their code base.

Deno’s official package registry isn’t as fully developed as Node’s, thanks to Node’s nearly nine-year head start. The ability to import libraries from anywhere keeps you from suffering the consequences of an ecosystem that hasn’t yet had a chance to grow to full size.

Community Involvement in Node and Deno

Originally released in 2009 by Ryan Dahl, Node has had plenty of time for the developer community to get involved. With plenty of early adopters and a sizable library of packages stored in its official repository and at your disposal, the public has had plenty of say in Node.js’s growth.

The platform itself is completely open-source, maintained by the OpenJS Foundation and many contributors.

Deno released in 2018, nearly 9 years after Node. It was principally developed by Ryan Dahl to address concerns and regrets he had with his implementation of Node. Today, Deno is also open source under the MIT license.

With plenty of contributors, and a growing repository of its own, Deno has seen plenty of interest from the community.

Performance Concerns of the Two Frameworks

For coders interested in the relative performance differences between the two frameworks, there is little difference between the two. Deno’s customized engine written in Rust overlays a core framework that is still the V8 engine. Ultimately, both Deno and Node are comparable in almost all cases performance-wise.

A desk with a number of monitors.

This appears to be the case regardless of whether the resulting code runs on the server or client. With performance yields not factoring into the decision, you are free to choose the framework that you feel most comfortable with.

Ryan Dahl, the creator of both frameworks, offered up a variety of reasons for his creation of Deno. While he mentioned several factors, from failing to properly incorporate promises in many APIs to his chosen build system, performance wasn’t a part of the process.

Node vs Deno: Which Is the Right Choice?

Under the hood, both Node.js and Deno are remarkably similar frameworks. Both execute JavaScript using the V8 engine with similar performance and capabilities. While there are some differences in syntax, package management, and built-in support, your choice of which to use is largely based on your preference.

Node boasts a staggeringly large ecosystem, but Deno allows you to pull your dependencies from any source. Ultimately, your will need to take a close look at your own development style and determine which platform is more suited to you.