New Framework for Node.js: Quick Start and Growing Popularity

New Node.js Framework Gains Popularity: What Developers Need to Know

The JavaScript ecosystem never stands still. If just a few years ago the dominant framework for server-side development was Express.js, today a new player is entering the stage — Hono. This lightweight, ultra-fast, and modern framework for Node.js (as well as Deno and Bun) is rapidly gaining popularity among developers seeking an alternative to outdated solutions.

Hono is not just another "Express killer." It is a fundamentally different approach to building web applications. It is built with modern JavaScript standards in mind, supports TypeScript out of the box, and demonstrates impressive performance in benchmarks. Let's break down why it is being talked about more and more often.

Key Features of Hono

• Lightning speed. Hono is built on native APIs and does not use heavy abstractions. According to tests, it processes requests 2-3 times faster than Express and Fastify.
• Ultra-lightweight. The package size is less than 14 KB. This makes it ideal for serverless environments (Cloudflare Workers, Deno Deploy).
• TypeScript support. Built-in types and autocompletion save developer time and reduce errors at the compilation stage.
• Trie-tree based routing. Unlike Express, where routes are checked sequentially, Hono uses a tree structure for instant lookup of the required handler.
• Built-in middleware support. You can easily integrate third-party modules or write your own processing chains.

Why Are Developers Switching to Hono?

The main reason is fatigue with "heavyweight" solutions. Express, despite its popularity, has not received major updates in a long time and does not leverage the capabilities of modern JavaScript engines. Additionally, many complain about inconvenient error handling and the lack of built-in async/await support in classic versions.

Hono solves these problems. It is written from scratch for modern ECMAScript standards, is fully asynchronous, and provides a clean, intuitive API. Here is what a simple server on Hono looks like:

import { Hono } from 'hono'const app = new Hono()

app.get('/', (c) => c.text('Hello, world!'))app.get('/json', (c) => c.json({ message: 'Greetings from Hono' }))

export default app

This code works not only in Node.js but also in Deno, Bun, and even Cloudflare Workers without any changes. Such versatility is another powerful argument in favor of choosing Hono.

Comparison with Competitors

• Hono vs Express: Hono is 3 times faster, lighter, has better TypeScript and modern JS support. Express only wins due to its vast number of legacy middlewares.
• Hono vs Fastify: Both frameworks are fast, but Hono is noticeably lighter and simpler to set up. Fastify remains the choice for complex enterprise projects with plugins.
• Hono vs Koa: Koa was a step forward after Express, but Hono offers an even cleaner API and better performance.

Prospects and Community

At the time of writing this article, Hono already has more than