The Performance Revolution in JavaScript Tooling

Summary

Over the last couple of years, we've witnessed a remarkable shift in the JavaScript ecosystem, as many popular developer tools have been rewritten in systems programming languages like Rust, Go, and Zig. This transition has delivered dramatic performance improvements and other innovations that are reshaping how developers build JavaScript-backed applications. In this article, we'll explore the driving forces behind this revolution, its implications for the wider ecosystem, and some of the most impactful projects leading the charge. The shift toward building JavaScript tooling in systems languages is a response to real, mounting pressure in the ecosystem. While JavaScript engines have become remarkably fast over the years, the language itself wasn't designed for CPU-heavy workloads. Modern JavaScript applications aren't just a few scripts anymore — they're sprawling codebases with thousands of dependencies, complex module graphs, and extensive build pipelines. JavaScript-based tools that were once "good enough" now struggle to keep up, leading to sluggish build times, laggy editor experiences, and frustratingly slow feedback loops. That's where languages like Rust and Go come in. They offer native performance, better memory management, and efficient concurrency — all of which translate into tooling that's not just faster, but more reliable and scalable. Rust, in particular, with its seemingly cult-like following, has become the language of choice for much of this new wave. Its growing popularity has inspired a new generation of developers who care deeply about correctness, speed, and user experience. This has created a virtuous cycle where we get more tools and faster innovation. All of this points to a broader realization in the JavaScript world: if we want tooling that scales with the demands of modern development, we have to look beyond JavaScript itself. Let's look at some of the most influential and promising tools redefining the JavaScript developer experience:...