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Created September 18, 2026 14:54
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Bun vs npm Quick Reference.md

Bun vs npm Quick Reference

Command What it does
npm Runs a local or global npm package's CLI, or manages dependencies (npm install)
npx Downloads (if needed) and runs a package's CLI without installing it globally. Also runs local node_modules/.bin bins.
bun Bun's equivalent of npm — installs dependencies, runs scripts, manages packages. Much faster.
bunx Bun's equivalent of npx — fetches and runs a package's CLI without permanent install.

TL;DR: bun ≈ npm, bunx ≈ npx. The x-variants are "execute this package's binary temporarily." Bun's versions are significantly faster because they skip the Node resolution overhead.

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