Buni - HTTP Imports Plugin for Bun

A custom plugin for Bun that enables importing modules from HTTP/HTTPS URLs, similar to Deno's approach. This plugin automatically detects the appropriate loader based on file extensions and supports TypeScript, JavaScript, and JSX files.

Features

✅ Import from URLs: Support for importing modules from HTTP and HTTPS URLs
✅ Auto Loader Detection: Automatically selects the correct loader based on file extension
✅ TypeScript Support: Native support for .ts, .tsx, and .mts files
✅ JavaScript Support: Compatible with .js, .jsx, and .mjs files
✅ Relative & Absolute Paths: Supports relative (./, ../) and absolute (/) path resolution from URL imports
✅ Bun Integration: Works seamlessly with bun build and bun run

Installation

mew install buni

Usage

CLI Usage (Recommended)

After installing globally, you can use the buni command directly:

# Run a local TypeScript file with HTTP imports
buni main.ts

# Run a remote script directly from URL
buni https://example.com/cli.ts --option1 --flag2

# Build with HTTP imports support
buni build main.ts --outdir ./dist

# Pass any Bun arguments
buni --watch main.ts
buni test

Remote Script Execution: The CLI automatically detects URLs (starting with http:// or https://) and downloads them to a temporary file before execution. This allows you to run scripts directly from the internet with HTTP imports support.

Manual Setup

Use the plugin with Bun's --preload flag:

bun --preload ./index.js main.ts

Example Usage

With CLI:

# Install globally first
mew install buni

# Run local files
buni main.ts

# Run remote scripts directly
buni https://deno.land/std@0.200.0/examples/chat/server.ts --port 8080

Manual:

bun --preload ./index.js main.ts

Example Imports

// Import from a TypeScript file
import { helper } from "https://example.com/utils.ts";

// Import from a JavaScript module
import { api } from "https://cdn.skypack.dev/some-package";

// Relative imports work too (when importing from URL modules)
import { config } from "./config.ts";
import { types } from "../types/index.ts";

Build with Plugin

# Build your project with HTTP imports support
bun --preload ./index.js build main.ts --outdir ./dist

How It Works

The plugin implements three main resolve handlers:

1. Relative Path Resolution (./, ../): When importing from an HTTP module, resolves relative paths against the base URL
2. Absolute Path Resolution (/): Resolves absolute paths against the origin of the HTTP module
3. Direct HTTP URLs: Handles direct HTTP/HTTPS imports

Loader Selection

The plugin automatically selects the appropriate loader based on file extensions:

Extension	Loader
.ts, .mts	ts
.tsx	tsx
.js, .mjs	js
.jsx	jsx
default	js

Example Project Structure

buni/
├── index.js          # Your main entry file
├── buni              # Entrypoint
└── package.json

main.ts:

// Import from remote TypeScript module
import { createServer } from "https://deno.land/std@0.200.0/http/server.ts";
import { serve } from "https://deno.land/std@0.200.0/http/mod.ts";

console.log("Server created with remote imports!");

Run the project:

bun --preload ./index.js main.ts

Configuration

The plugin works out of the box with no configuration needed. It registers itself as a Bun plugin with the following settings:

• Name: http_imports
• Supported Protocols: HTTP and HTTPS
• File Extensions: All common web file types (.ts, .tsx, .js, .jsx, .mjs, .mts)

Comparison with Deno

Feature	Buni Plugin	Deno
HTTP/HTTPS imports	✅	✅
TypeScript support	✅	✅
Auto loader detection	✅	✅
Relative path resolution	✅	✅
Build integration	✅ (via Bun)	✅
Runtime	Bun	Deno

Error Handling

The plugin includes robust error handling:

• Network Errors: Failed HTTP requests are properly reported with context
• Invalid URLs: Malformed URLs are caught and reported
• Missing Files: 404 errors include the failed URL for debugging

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by Deno's HTTP import system
• Built for the Bun runtime and ecosystem
• Thanks to the Bun team for the excellent plugin API