Deno — Free & Open Source for Startups

Deal Highlights

Deno — The Secure JavaScript Runtime for the Modern Web

Deno is a JavaScript and TypeScript runtime built by Ryan Dahl — the original creator of Node.js — to fix the design mistakes he regretted. Deno is secure by default (no file/network access without permission), supports TypeScript natively, and uses web standard APIs instead of Node-specific ones.

Secure by Default

Node.js gives your code full system access — any npm package can read your files, make network requests, or execute commands. Deno sandboxes everything. A script cannot access the file system, network, or environment unless you explicitly grant permission.

TypeScript Without Configuration

Write TypeScript directly — no tsconfig.json, no compilation step, no ts-node. Deno understands TypeScript natively. Import a .ts file and it runs.

Web Standard APIs

Deno uses fetch(), WebSocket, Web Workers, and other web standard APIs instead of Node-specific modules. Code written for Deno often works in the browser and vice versa.

Deno vs Node.js

Node.js has the largest ecosystem with 2M+ npm packages. Deno is more secure, supports TypeScript natively, and uses web standards. Node.js for existing projects and ecosystem breadth. Deno for new projects that prioritize security and modern standards.

Deno vs Bun

Bun focuses on speed — fastest runtime for existing Node.js code. Deno focuses on security and web standards. Bun is a Node.js accelerator. Deno is a Node.js rethink.

Getting Started

1. Install: curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | sh
2. Create a TypeScript file — no configuration needed
3. Run with permissions: deno run --allow-net server.ts
4. Deploy to Deno Deploy for edge hosting

Pricing

Free and open-source. Deno Deploy (edge hosting) has a free tier with paid plans for production.

Who Is This Deal For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this startup deal.