For API development involving heavy database access, object storage (buckets), third-party API calls, and media generation—where compiling to a standalone binary is key—Golang is the stronger recommendation over Bun. It delivers superior real-world performance, lower resource usage, and mature tooling for complex workloads, while both compile to efficient binaries (Go via go build, Bun via bun build --compile).
Performance in Relevant Scenarios
Benchmarks show Bun shining in synthetic HTTP tasks like static JSON responses, often tying or edging out Go in raw requests per second (RPS).[2][5] For example, in simple "Hello World" servers, Bun and Go are neck-and-neck, with Bun sometimes leading on lighter requests.[2][6] However, when workloads mirror your needs—database inserts, dynamic data processing—Go pulls ahead decisively.[1][3]
- Database-heavy ops: Go halves latency and CPU usage vs. Bun for MongoDB inserts, avoiding out-of-memory crashes that plague Bun under load.[1][3]
- Real-world throughput: Bun falters beyond static benchmarks; Go maintains low latency (e.g., ~5ms vs. Bun's 10ms+ at 60k+ RPS) and scales better across CPUs.[1][3]
- Memory efficiency: Go uses ~25MB even under multi-core stress, while Bun spikes dramatically—critical for APIs juggling DB queries, bucket uploads, and media tasks.[2]
| Aspect | Go | Bun |
|---|---|---|
| Simple HTTP RPS | Ties or slightly behind[2][5] | Often leads[2][5] |
| DB Latency/CPU | ~50% better, lower usage[1][3] | Higher, prone to throttling[1][3] |
| Memory (multi-core) | ~25MB[2] | Highest by far[2] |
| Concurrency | Goroutines excel natively[4] | JS event loop limits scale[1] |
Fun fact: Go's goroutines—lightweight threads—let it handle "lots of" concurrent DB/3rd-party calls effortlessly, like Kubernetes itself (written in Go).[1][4] Bun, built on JavaScriptCore (WebKit's engine), mimics Node but inherits single-threaded bottlenecks for I/O-heavy media generation.[3]
Compilation to Binaries
Both deliver self-contained executables without runtime dependencies:
- Go:
go buildproduces a single ~10-20MB binary, optimized for any OS/architecture. Deploy anywhere—no VM needed.[4] - Bun:
bun build --compile --target=bun-linux-x64creates a binary too, but it's larger due to embedded JS runtime and less mature ahead-of-time (AOT) optimization.[5] Still beta-ish as of late 2024 benchmarks.[2]
Go wins for production: smaller, faster cold starts, and battle-tested (e.g., Docker, Prometheus).
Ecosystem and Developer Experience for Your Use Case
Your API needs libraries for databases (PostgreSQL/MySQL/Mongo), buckets (S3-compatible like MinIO), 3rd-party APIs (HTTP clients), and media generation (image resizing, video thumbnails).
Go's strengths:
Need Top Libraries Why It Fits Databases database/sql+ pgx/sqlite; GORM ORMRock-solid, concurrent-safe; handles "lots of" queries efficiently.[1] Buckets AWS SDK (S3); MinIO Go client Native concurrency for uploads/downloads. 3rd-party APIs net/http; restyBlazing fast, goroutine-friendly. Media Generation imaging; go-vips Processes images/videos in-memory at scale without GC pauses. Go's stdlib covers 80% of APIs; ecosystem is production-grade for microservices.[4]
Bun's strengths (but gaps):
Need Libraries Limitations Databases Bun SQLite; Drizzle ORM Great for JS devs, but PostgreSQL drivers lag vs. Go's maturity. Buckets/3rd-party Node-compatible (fetch, Axios) JS ecosystem huge, but higher latency in benchmarks.[1] Media Sharp (via bun-sharp) Fast, but memory-hungry under load.[2] Bun excels if you're JS/TS-native—zero-config servers, hot reload—but lacks Go's concurrency depth for "lots of" parallel ops.[4] Media generation (e.g., FFmpeg bindings) feels more natural in JS land, yet Go libraries match speed with less overhead.
Interesting fact: Bun's creator aimed to fix Node's slowness (10x faster package installs), but real API "work" like yours exposes JS limits—Go was designed for it from day one.[3][4]
Trade-offs and Recommendation
- Pick Go if: Scale, reliability, and efficiency matter—e.g., high-traffic APIs with unpredictable DB/3rd-party loads. Compiles to tiny binaries; deploys to edge/cloud effortlessly. Learning curve: Simple syntax, but concurrency model rewards practice.
- Pick Bun if: You're deep in JS/TS ecosystem, prototyping fast, or media/3rd-party libs must be npm-first. Riskier for production scale today.
Bottom line: Go for your described workload. It's the safe, high-performance bet with binary compilation, dominating where it counts—real I/O and concurrency.[1][2][3][4] Start with Go's net/http + database/sql for a minimal API; scale from there. Bun's promising but not yet production-primetime for heavy lifting.[2]
Sources
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECnlX00YcPI
- https://www.wwt.com/blog/performance-benchmarking-bun-vs-c-vs-go-vs-nodejs-vs-python
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB422eeOFr8
- https://dev.to/hamzakhan/rust-vs-go-vs-bun-vs-nodejs-the-ultimate-2024-performance-showdown-2jml
- https://priver.dev/blog/benchmark/go-vs-rust-vs-bun-vs-node-http-benchmark-v2/
- https://github.com/peterbe/go-bun-compare
