Bun vs GORM: which is better for Go?

Bun is better if you prioritize SQL transparency and need multi-database support with type safety, while GORM offers a more abstracted, active-record style with a larger ecosystem. Choose Bun for complex queries and control, GORM for rapid development with less SQL.

How to handle transactions in Bun ORM?

Use Bun's built-in transaction support via db.RunInTx or similar methods, which allow you to wrap operations in a transaction block. This ensures atomicity and rollback on errors, similar to standard database/sql but with Bun's query builder.

Does Bun support raw SQL queries?

Yes, Bun fully supports raw SQL queries through methods like db.Query or db.Exec, allowing you to bypass the query builder when needed. This maintains flexibility while still benefiting from Bun's scanning and type safety features.

Can I use Bun with GraphQL in Go?

Yes, Bun can be integrated with GraphQL in Go by using it as the data layer to fetch and mutate data. Its flexible scanning and relationship loading make it suitable for resolving GraphQL queries efficiently, though you'll need to handle mapping manually.

Bun ORM performance benchmarks vs raw SQL

Bun adds minimal overhead over database/sql, so performance is close to raw SQL for most use cases. However, in highly performance-critical scenarios, raw SQL might be slightly faster due to reduced abstraction layers, as noted in community discussions.

How to set up OpenTelemetry with Bun?

Bun has built-in OpenTelemetry support via the bunotel package; add it as a query hook to automatically trace queries. This provides distributed tracing for monitoring performance and debugging in production environments, as shown in the README examples.

Open-Awesome

bun

BSD-2-ClauseGov1.2.18

A lightweight, SQL-first Golang ORM supporting PostgreSQL, MySQL, MSSQL, SQLite, and Oracle with type safety and flexible scanning.

Visit Website GitHub

4.8k stars274 forks0 contributors

What is bun?

Bun is a SQL-first Object-Relational Mapper (ORM) for the Go programming language. It allows developers to write complex SQL queries in a type-safe, Go-native way while supporting multiple databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite. It solves the problem of balancing SQL flexibility with Go's performance and safety, avoiding the overhead and opacity of traditional ORMs.

Target Audience

Go developers building data-intensive applications who need fine-grained control over SQL queries without sacrificing type safety or performance. It's particularly suited for teams working across multiple database backends.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Bun for its SQL-first philosophy that doesn't hide SQL behind abstraction layers, its multi-database support with consistent APIs, and its production-ready features like migrations and OpenTelemetry integration. It offers a lightweight alternative to heavier ORMs while maintaining Go's idiomatic patterns.

Overview

SQL-first Golang ORM

Use Cases

Best For

Building Go applications that require complex, readable SQL queries
Projects needing to support multiple SQL database backends (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, etc.)
Teams prioritizing type safety and compile-time checks for database operations
Applications requiring efficient bulk inserts, updates, and deletes
Implementing database migrations and schema versioning in Go
Adding observability and query debugging with OpenTelemetry integration

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring a fully abstracted ORM where developers want to avoid writing SQL entirely
Applications built on NoSQL databases like MongoDB or Cassandra
Teams seeking a massive ecosystem with extensive third-party plugins and integrations

Pros & Cons

Pros

SQL Transparency and Control

Bun's SQL-first approach allows developers to write complex, readable queries using Go syntax, as demonstrated in the README with CTEs and subqueries that mirror raw SQL.

Multi-Database Agnosticism

It supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MSSQL, and Oracle with consistent APIs, enabling code portability across different SQL backends without major rewrites.

Type Safety and Compile-Time Checks

Leverages Go's static typing to provide compile-time safety for database operations, reducing runtime errors and enhancing code reliability.

Production-Ready Tooling

Includes built-in features like migrations, fixtures, soft deletes, and OpenTelemetry integration, making it suitable for deployment in scalable applications.

Cons

SQL Proficiency Required

Since Bun doesn't abstract SQL away, developers need solid SQL knowledge to use it effectively, which can be a barrier for teams with limited database expertise.

Smaller Ecosystem Than GORM

As a newer ORM, Bun has a smaller community and fewer third-party extensions compared to established alternatives like GORM, potentially limiting out-of-the-box solutions.

Manual Schema Management

While it supports migrations, Bun lacks automatic schema generation from models, requiring developers to write and maintain migration scripts manually, increasing setup complexity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

GORM

The fantastic ORM library for Golang, aims to be developer friendly

Stars39,705

Forks4,146

Last commit1 month ago

ent

An entity framework for Go

Stars17,036

Forks997

Last commit10 days ago

SQLBoiler

Generate a Go ORM tailored to your database schema.

Stars6,988

Forks560