Deno 2 Improves Compatibility with Node.js and npm, Expands Package Management Features

Deno, the modern JavaScript and TypeScript runtime created by Ryan Dahl and the Deno team, has officially launched version 2.0, four years after the initial 1.0 version. This latest release brings major improvements to package management and performance, positioning Deno as a more robust and efficient alternative to traditional runtimes like Node.js.

Deno 2 is considered to be very stable and production ready. This release makes Deno suitable for more use cases as it’s now fully backwards compatible with Node.js and npm. It allows developers to run existing Node applications seamlessly within Deno, opening up access to over 2 million npm modules, thanks to the ability to import npm packages via the npm: specifier.

With native support for package.json and node_modules, it’s now easy to migrate exiting Node projects using ESM.

The compatibility extends to complex packages and even supports Node-API native addons. Deno users can also expect compatibility with popular JavaScript frameworks such as Next.js, Astro, Remix, Angular, SvelteKit, and QwikCity, further bridging the gap between Deno and the broader JavaScript ecosystem.

Enhanced Package Management and Performance#

Deno 2.0 introduces robust package management features, addressing one of the most requested functionalities from the developer community.

Three new subcommands have been added to simplify dependency management:

• deno install: Installs dependencies, creating a node_modules folder if a package.json is present, or caching dependencies globally otherwise.
• deno add: Adds packages to package.json or deno.json.
• deno remove: Removes packages from package.json or deno.json.

Deno 2.0 boasts significant performance enhancements, particularly in package installation. The deno install command is reported to be 15% faster than npm with a cold cache and an impressive 90% faster with a hot cache. While these improvements are already substantial, the Deno team promises further optimizations in the coming weeks, especially for cold cache scenarios.

Although Node.js and npm compatibility is one of the major features in Deno 2.0, compatibility was never the end goal.

“While Deno can run Node programs, it’s designed to push JavaScript and TypeScript forward,” Dahl and the team said in the announcement. “Deno offers features that Node lacks, such as native TypeScript support, web-standard APIs, a complete toolchain for JavaScript development, and a secure-by-default execution model—all in a single executable with no external dependencies. Using Deno over Node can save you time on setup and configuration, letting you start coding and delivering value faster.”

Other notable features in this release:

• A stabilized standard library
• Support for private npm registries
• Workspaces and monorepo support
• Long Term Support (LTS) releases
• JSR: a modern registry for sharing JavaScript libraries across runtimes

These updates enable enterprises to adopt Deno without concerns of volatility, as companies will be able to rely on a stable LTS branch to be created every six months.

Support for “legacy JavaScript infrastructure” in Deno 2.0 means that Deno users are not limited to the Deno ecosystem but can still take advantage of everything npm has to offer. The announcement emphasizes Deno's commitment to interoperability, as it has scaled beyond small programs. The team recognized that supporting Node and npm compatibility is essential.

“Deno’s goal is not to become a Node clone in Rust or a drop-in replacement,” Dahl said. “Our aim is to level up JavaScript, moving beyond 2010-era CommonJS and narrowing the gap between server-side and browser environments in a way that developers can adopt practically. We refuse to accept that JavaScript must remain a tangle of mismatched tooling and endless layers of transpilation, unable to evolve.”