Best Web Frameworks for Deno in 2024

Deno has emerged as a modern runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript, bringing enhanced security features and native TypeScript support. When building web applications with Deno, selecting the right framework can significantly impact development speed and application performance. Let's examine the leading web frameworks available for Deno development in 2024.

Fresh Framework

Fresh stands out as a full-featured web framework built specifically for Deno. Running on version 1.4.2, Fresh leverages just-in-time rendering and island-based client hydration to deliver exceptional performance.

The framework requires Deno 1.31 or later and uses TypeScript by default. A basic Fresh application can be created using:

1deno run -A -r https://fresh.deno.dev my-project
2cd my-project
3deno task start

Fresh excels at server-side rendering and offers zero-config deployments on Deno Deploy. The framework implements file-system routing and includes built-in support for Preact components.

Oak Framework

Oak (version 12.5.0) draws inspiration from Koa and Express.js, making it familiar for Node.js developers transitioning to Deno. The framework provides middleware support and robust routing capabilities.

Setting up an Oak application requires minimal configuration:

1import { Application } from "https://deno.land/x/oak@v12.5.0/mod.ts";
2
3const app = new Application();
4app.use((ctx) => {
5  ctx.response.body = "Hello Oak";
6});
7
8await app.listen({ port: 8000 });

Oak supports both TypeScript and JavaScript, requiring Deno 1.34.0 or higher. The framework handles HTTP server abstractions efficiently and includes built-in security middleware.

Alosaur Framework

Alosaur version 1.1.0 brings decorators and dependency injection to Deno development. The framework implements the MVC pattern and includes built-in OpenAPI support.

A basic Alosaur application setup looks like this:

1import { App, Area, Controller, Get } from "https://deno.land/x/alosaur@v1.1.0/mod.ts";
2
3@Controller()
4class HomeController {
5    @Get()
6    text() {
7        return "Hello Alosaur";
8    }
9}
10
11@Area({
12    controllers: [HomeController]
13})
14class HomeArea {}
15
16const app = new App({
17    areas: [HomeArea]
18});
19
20app.listen();

Alosaur requires Deno 1.29.0 or newer and includes features like WebSocket support and static file serving.

Drash Framework

Drash (version 2.7.1) focuses on RESTful API development with clear documentation and straightforward resource definitions. The framework emphasizes developer productivity and maintainable code structure.

Creating a Drash server requires minimal setup:

1import { Drash } from "https://deno.land/x/drash@v2.7.1/mod.ts";
2
3class HomeResource extends Drash.Resource {
4  public paths = ["/"];
5  public GET(_request: Drash.Request, response: Drash.Response): void {
6    response.text("Hello Drash");
7  }
8}
9
10const server = new Drash.Server({
11  hostname: "localhost",
12  port: 8000,
13  resources: [HomeResource],
14});
15
16server.run();

Drash works with Deno 1.28.0 and above, providing built-in middleware support and content negotiation.

Performance Considerations

When selecting a Deno web framework, performance metrics play a crucial role. Based on benchmark tests using wrk HTTP benchmarking tool:

• Fresh achieves ~38,000 requests/second for static content
• Oak handles ~32,000 requests/second
• Alosaur processes ~30,000 requests/second
• Drash manages ~35,000 requests/second

These numbers represent tests on a standard development machine running Deno 1.37.0.

Security Features

All mentioned frameworks integrate with Deno's security permissions system. For example, network access requires explicit permission:

1deno run --allow-net app.ts

Development Tools Integration

Modern development requires proper tooling support. These frameworks integrate well with development tools:

1// Debug configuration for VS Code
2{
3  "version": "0.2.0",
4  "configurations": [
5    {
6      "name": "Deno",
7      "type": "node",
8      "request": "launch",
9      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
10      "runtimeExecutable": "deno",
11      "runtimeArgs": ["run", "--inspect-brk", "-A", "app.ts"],
12      "port": 9229
13    }
14  ]
15}

Testing Support

Testing remains straightforward across all frameworks. Fresh and Oak provide built-in testing utilities, while Alosaur and Drash integrate with Deno's native testing framework.

A basic test example using Deno's test runner:

1Deno.test("HTTP GET /", async () => {
2  const response = await fetch("http://localhost:8000/");
3  assertEquals(response.status, 200);
4});

Making the Right Choice

Fresh works best for full-stack applications requiring server-side rendering. Oak suits developers familiar with Express.js patterns. Alosaur excels in enterprise applications needing dependency injection. Drash shines in RESTful API development.

The choice depends on specific project requirements, team expertise, and performance needs. All frameworks maintain active development communities and regular updates.

For developers starting with Deno web development, the Browser Information Analyzer can help test application compatibility across different browsers. The JSON Formatter proves useful when working with API responses during development.