Last Updated: 3/9/2026

Deployment Overview

Hono is built on Web Standards, which means the same application code runs on multiple JavaScript runtimes and platforms. Choose the deployment target that best fits your needs.

Quick Comparison

Platform Categories

Edge Runtimes

Edge platforms run your code close to users worldwide, reducing latency:

• Cloudflare Workers - The fastest edge runtime, perfect for APIs and middleware
• Cloudflare Pages - Combines static hosting with edge functions
• Deno Deploy - TypeScript-native edge platform
• Fastly Compute - Enterprise edge computing

When to choose edge:

• Global user base
• Low-latency requirements (<100ms)
• API gateways and proxies
• Serverless functions

Serverless Functions

Serverless platforms auto-scale and charge per-request:

• AWS Lambda - Integrates with AWS services (S3, DynamoDB, etc.)
• Lambda@Edge - AWS edge computing
• Vercel - Zero-config deployment with Git integration
• Netlify - JAMstack hosting with functions
• Google Cloud Run - Container-based serverless
• Azure Functions - Microsoft cloud functions

When to choose serverless:

• Variable traffic patterns
• Pay-per-use pricing model
• Integration with cloud services
• Minimal ops overhead

Traditional Runtimes

Self-hosted or container-based deployment:

• Node.js - Traditional hosting, VPS, containers
• Bun - High-performance alternative to Node.js
• Deno - Secure TypeScript runtime

When to choose traditional:

• Full control over infrastructure
• Long-running processes
• WebSocket connections
• Custom hardware requirements

Choosing the Right Platform

For APIs and Microservices

Recommended: Cloudflare Workers

import { Hono } from 'hono'
 
const app = new Hono()
app.get('/api/users', (c) => c.json({ users: [] }))
 
export default app

• Ultra-fast cold starts (~0ms)
• Global edge network
• Built-in KV, D1, R2 storage
• Generous free tier

For Full-Stack Applications

Recommended: Vercel or Cloudflare Pages

Both platforms support static assets + API routes:

// Vercel or Cloudflare Pages
import { Hono } from 'hono'
 
const app = new Hono()
app.get('/api/*', (c) => c.json({ message: 'API' }))
 
export default app

For TypeScript Projects

Recommended: Deno Deploy

import { Hono } from 'hono'
 
const app = new Hono()
app.get('/', (c) => c.text('Hello Deno!'))
 
Deno.serve(app.fetch)

• Native TypeScript support
• No build step required
• Modern standard library

For AWS Integration

Recommended: AWS Lambda

import { Hono } from 'hono'
import { handle } from 'hono/aws-lambda'
 
const app = new Hono()
app.get('/', (c) => c.text('Hello AWS!'))
 
export const handler = handle(app)

• Integrates with S3, DynamoDB, SQS, etc.
• VPC access
• IAM permissions

For Self-Hosted / On-Premise

Recommended: Node.js or Bun

import { serve } from '@hono/node-server'
import { Hono } from 'hono'
 
const app = new Hono()
app.get('/', (c) => c.text('Self-hosted!'))
 
serve(app)

• Full infrastructure control
• Docker/Kubernetes deployment
• No vendor lock-in

Code Portability

One of Hono’s strengths is that the same application code works everywhere. Only the entry point changes:

Cloudflare Workers

export default app

Deno

Deno.serve(app.fetch)

Bun

export default {
  port: 3000,
  fetch: app.fetch,
}

Node.js

import { serve } from '@hono/node-server'
serve(app)

AWS Lambda

import { handle } from 'hono/aws-lambda'
export const handler = handle(app)

This means you can:

• Start on one platform and migrate later
• Test locally with Bun/Node.js, deploy to edge
• Run the same code in multiple environments

Environment-Specific Features

While core Hono code is portable, some features are platform-specific:

Cloudflare Workers

• KV (key-value storage)
• D1 (SQL database)
• R2 (object storage)
• Durable Objects

AWS Lambda

• Environment variables via c.env
• AWS SDK integration
• VPC networking

Deno Deploy

• Deno KV
• Deno Queues
• Native TypeScript

Use runtime detection when needed:

app.get('/platform', (c) => {
  const platform = 
    typeof Deno !== 'undefined' ? 'Deno' :
    typeof Bun !== 'undefined' ? 'Bun' :
    'Node.js or Edge'
  
  return c.text(`Running on: ${platform}`)
})

Next Steps

Select your deployment platform:

Edge Platforms

• Cloudflare Workers - Fastest edge runtime
• Cloudflare Pages - Static + edge functions
• Deno Deploy - TypeScript-first edge

Serverless

• Vercel - Zero-config Git deployment
• AWS Lambda - AWS ecosystem
• Netlify - JAMstack platform

Traditional

• Node.js - Self-hosted or containers
• Bun - High-performance runtime