In the ever-changing landscape of web development, new tools often emerge to improve what came before. One of the most exciting recent developments is Deno, a secure and modern runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript. What makes it particularly interesting? It was created by Ryan Dahl, the same developer behind Node.js—this time aiming to fix the issues he couldn't address earlier.

Unlike Node.js, Deno includes built-in TypeScript support, security-first defaults, and eliminates the need for node_modules. With Deno, there’s no need to install additional tools for formatting, testing, or bundling—it’s all baked into a single executable. This streamlines the setup process for developers and makes Deno ideal for small, secure, and fast applications.

Deno is built on the V8 engine and Rust, which gives it a performance edge. Security is a major differentiator. By default, Deno doesn’t allow file system, network, or environment access—these must be explicitly enabled with flags. This makes it particularly suitable for running serverless or edge functions, where controlling access is critical.

Many modern developers and startups are adopting Deno for its simplicity and developer-friendly design. It's being used in serverless deployments through Deno Deploy, and in edge environments supported by platforms like Netlify and Supabase. Its lightweight nature makes it a favorite for creating quick APIs, form handlers, or backend services—especially in frontend-heavy workflows like Webflow exports.

Let’s look at a simple example:

// hello.ts

import { serve } from "https://deno.land/std/http/server.ts";

serve((_req) => new Response("Hello Webflow!"), { port: 8000 });

Run it with:

arduino

deno run --allow-net hello.ts

To deploy it, use Deno Deploy, or push it to Netlify as an edge function using ES modules.

In summary, Deno is not just a newer version of Node.js—it’s a fresh take. It’s designed for developers who want modern tooling, built-in TypeScript, and robust security without additional complexity. For teams working with Jamstack, Webflow, or building quick serverless apps, Deno can be the perfect fit.