> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/oven-sh/bun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Build a working HTTP server with Bun in under 5 minutes.

This guide walks you from zero to a running HTTP server. You'll initialize a project, write a server using `Bun.serve()`, and run it — all without any compilation step.

<Info>
  You need Bun installed before starting. See [Installation](/installation) if you haven't done that yet.
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a new project">
    Run `bun init` to scaffold a new project. Pass a directory name to create it in a subdirectory:

    ```bash theme={null}
    bun init my-app
    ```

    Bun prompts you to choose a template. Select **Blank** for this guide:

    ```
    ✓ Select a project template: Blank

    - .gitignore
    - index.ts
    - tsconfig.json (for editor autocomplete)
    - README.md
    ```

    This creates a `my-app/` directory with a minimal TypeScript project. The `tsconfig.json` is configured for Bun and includes type definitions automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the default file">
    Move into the project directory and run the generated `index.ts`:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd my-app
    bun run index.ts
    ```

    ```
    Hello via Bun!
    ```

    Bun executes TypeScript directly — no compilation step, no `tsc`, no build output.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write an HTTP server">
    Replace the contents of `index.ts` with a simple HTTP server using `Bun.serve()`:

    ```typescript index.ts theme={null}
    const server = Bun.serve({
      port: 3000,
      fetch(req) {
        return new Response("Hello from Bun!");
      },
    });

    console.log(`Listening on http://localhost:${server.port}`);
    ```

    Run it:

    ```bash theme={null}
    bun run index.ts
    ```

    ```
    Listening on http://localhost:3000
    ```

    Open [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000) in your browser. You should see `Hello from Bun!`.

    `Bun.serve()` accepts a `fetch` handler that receives a standard [`Request`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Request) and must return a [`Response`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Response). These are the same Web APIs used in service workers and edge runtimes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add routing">
    `Bun.serve()` also supports a `routes` object for declarative routing without a framework:

    ```typescript index.ts theme={null}
    const server = Bun.serve({
      port: 3000,
      routes: {
        "/": () => new Response("Hello from Bun!"),
        "/health": () => new Response("OK"),
      },
      fetch(req) {
        // fallback for unmatched routes
        return new Response("Not found", { status: 404 });
      },
    });

    console.log(`Listening on http://localhost:${server.port}`);
    ```

    Run it again and visit [http://localhost:3000/health](http://localhost:3000/health).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a package.json script">
    Open `package.json` and add a `start` script so you can run the server with a short command:

    ```json package.json theme={null}
    {
      "name": "my-app",
      "module": "index.ts",
      "type": "module",
      "scripts": {
        "start": "bun run index.ts"
      },
      "devDependencies": {
        "@types/bun": "latest"
      }
    }
    ```

    Now start the server with:

    ```bash theme={null}
    bun run start
    ```

    <Note>
      `bun run` is roughly **28x faster than `npm run`** — 6ms vs 170ms of overhead per invocation. For projects with many scripts, this adds up quickly.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

You now have a working Bun HTTP server. Here are some natural next steps:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="TypeScript" icon="file-code" href="/typescript">
    Learn how Bun handles TypeScript natively, including recommended tsconfig settings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="HTTP server API" icon="server" href="/runtime/http-server">
    Explore the full `Bun.serve()` API: WebSockets, TLS, streaming responses, and more.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Package manager" icon="box" href="/pm/install">
    Install npm packages with `bun add` and manage dependencies faster than npm.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Test runner" icon="flask" href="/test/overview">
    Write and run Jest-compatible tests with `bun test`.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>