Vercel Adds Bun Runtime Support for Functions in Public Beta
Executive Summary
Vercel has announced Public Beta support for the Bun runtime on its serverless Functions platform, offering developers a high-performance alternative to the standard Node.js runtime. This update allows users to select the optimal runtime for their specific workload by making a simple configuration change in their `vercel.json` file. The company highlights Bun's speed advantages for compute-intensive tasks, citing internal benchmarks showing a 28% reduction in average latency for Next.js server-side rendering compared to Node.js.
Key Takeaways
* New Runtime Option: Developers can now choose to run their Vercel Functions on either the Bun or Node.js runtime.
* Performance Gains: Bun is positioned as the ideal choice for CPU-bound applications, with Vercel's tests demonstrating a 28% latency reduction for Next.js SSR workloads.
* Simple Configuration: Switching to the Bun runtime is achieved by adding a `bunVersion` key to the project's `vercel.json` file.
* Availability: The Bun runtime is currently available in Public Beta.
* Framework Support: Initial support is available for Express, Hono, and Nitro, with more frameworks planned.
* Pricing Model: Functions using Bun run on Vercel's Fluid compute, which features "Active CPU pricing," meaning customers are only billed for the time code is actively executing.
Strategic Importance
This integration positions Vercel at the forefront of modern web development by embracing a popular, high-performance JavaScript runtime. It provides a key differentiator for performance-focused developers and strengthens Vercel's value proposition as a flexible, cutting-edge deployment platform.