JavaScript runtime Deno releases v2.3 with improved compiling, local npm packages and more

Deno has released version 2.3 of its open-source JavaScript runtime, introducing major upgrades for application builders. Most notably, Deno 2.3 expands the 'deno compile' command to support programs using Foreign Function Interface (FFI) and Node native add-ons, making it easier to build standalone binaries that depend on native code.

This update also brings key improvements for npm users. Developers can now work with local npm packages, streamlining the process for testing and developing npm modules in a local environment. Complementing this, new registry flags '--npm' and '--jsr' make installing packages from npm and JSR more explicit and straightforward. Code formatting has received a significant enhancement, with 'deno fmt' now able to format embedded CSS, HTML, and SQL in tagged templates. Fourteen new formatting options further expand flexibility for codebases with mixed content.

Deno 2.3 strengthens observability support by expanding OpenTelemetry features, including event recording, span context propagation, node:http auto-instrumentation, and V8 engine metrics, helping teams monitor applications more effectively. Additional enhancements include signing the Windows executable for improved trust, a more intuitive 'deno check', improved test coverage reporting, refined Jupyter notebook type checking, updated TypeScript and V8 engines, and performance boosts across the board.