Files
bun.sh/docs/pm/bunx.mdx
Lydia Hallie dce7a02f4d Docs: Minor fixes and improvements (#25284)
This PR addresses several issues opened for the docs:

- Add callout for SQLite caching behavior between prepare() and query()
- Fix SQLite types and fix deprecated exec to run
- Fix Secrets API example
- Update SolidStart guide
- Add bun upgrade guide
- Prefer `process.versions.bun` over `typeof Bun` for detection
- Document complete `bunx` flags
- Improve Nitro preset documentation for Nuxt

Fixes #23165, #24424, #24294, #25175, #18433, #16804, #22967, #22527,
#10560, #14744
2025-12-01 13:32:08 -08:00

92 lines
2.7 KiB
Plaintext

---
title: "bunx"
description: "Run packages from npm"
---
import Bunx from "/snippets/cli/bunx.mdx";
<Note>`bunx` is an alias for `bun x`. The `bunx` CLI will be auto-installed when you install `bun`.</Note>
Use `bunx` to auto-install and run packages from `npm`. It's Bun's equivalent of `npx` or `yarn dlx`.
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx cowsay "Hello world!"
```
<Note>
⚡️ **Speed** — With Bun's fast startup times, `bunx` is [roughly 100x
faster](https://twitter.com/jarredsumner/status/1606163655527059458) than `npx` for locally installed packages.
</Note>
Packages can declare executables in the `"bin"` field of their `package.json`. These are known as _package executables_ or _package binaries_.
```json package.json icon="file-json"
{
// ... other fields
"name": "my-cli",
"bin": {
"my-cli": "dist/index.js"
}
}
```
These executables are commonly plain JavaScript files marked with a [shebang line](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebang_(Unix)>) to indicate which program should be used to execute them. The following file indicates that it should be executed with `node`.
```js dist/index.js icon="/icons/javascript.svg"
#!/usr/bin/env node
console.log("Hello world!");
```
These executables can be run with `bunx`,
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx my-cli
```
As with `npx`, `bunx` will check for a locally installed package first, then fall back to auto-installing the package from `npm`. Installed packages will be stored in Bun's global cache for future use.
## Arguments and flags
To pass additional command-line flags and arguments through to the executable, place them after the executable name.
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx my-cli --foo bar
```
---
## Shebangs
By default, Bun respects shebangs. If an executable is marked with `#!/usr/bin/env node`, Bun will spin up a `node` process to execute the file. However, in some cases it may be desirable to run executables using Bun's runtime, even if the executable indicates otherwise. To do so, include the `--bun` flag.
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx --bun my-cli
```
The `--bun` flag must occur _before_ the executable name. Flags that appear _after_ the name are passed through to the executable.
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx --bun my-cli # good
bunx my-cli --bun # bad
```
## Package flag
**`--package <pkg>` or `-p <pkg>`** - Run binary from specific package. Useful when binary name differs from package name:
```bash terminal icon="terminal"
bunx -p renovate renovate-config-validator
bunx --package @angular/cli ng
```
To force bun to always be used with a script, use a shebang.
```js dist/index.js icon="/icons/javascript.svg"
#!/usr/bin/env bun
```
---
<Bunx />