Node.js test runner vs Jest

Node.js test runner or Jest?

Use the built-in runner, node:test, for Node.js libraries, command-line tools and services: it has been stable since Node.js 20 and needs no dependency. Keep Jest for React and React Native component tests, for suites that lean on jest.mock, and for any suite that already works.

The same test in both

const { test } = require('node:test');
const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
const { canAccess } = require('./src/access');

test('signed-out session cannot access', () => {
  assert.equal(canAccess(false, false), false);
});

const { canAccess } = require('./src/access');

test('signed-out session cannot access', () => {
  expect(canAccess(false, false)).toBe(false);
});

Run them with node --test and npx jest.

What differs

	`node:test` on Node.js 24	Jest 30
Install	Built in	`npm install -D jest`
Assertions	`node:assert`	`expect` and its matchers
Function and timer mocks	`mock.fn`, `mock.timers`	`jest.fn`, fake timers
Module mocks	`mock.module`, behind a flag, early development	`jest.mock`
Snapshots	`t.assert.snapshot`	`toMatchSnapshot`
Browser-like DOM	Not included	`jest-environment-jsdom`
ES modules	Native	Experimental, behind a Node.js flag
Coverage	`--experimental-test-coverage`	`--coverage`

Sources: the Node.js test runner and Jest documentation.

Coverage differs most

The same three tests on one file, on Node.js 24.21.0 and Jest 30.5.2:

Command	Lines	Branches	Functions
`node --test --experimental-test-coverage`	14/17 (82.35%)	5/6 (83.33%)	2/3 (66.67%)
`jest --coverage`	5/5 (100%)	6/7 (85.71%)	2/2 (100%)
`jest --coverage --coverageProvider=v8`	14/17 (82.35%)	4/5 (80%)	2/3 (66.66%)

Node.js reads coverage from the V8 engine, as Jest’s V8 provider does. Jest’s default instruments the source with Babel and counts statements, which is why its totals are smaller. Jest coverage: V8 vs Babel explains the gap.

Two practical differences:

Status. Coverage in node:test is still marked experimental. It prints a summary and can write lcov. Jest can use any Istanbul reporter, including HTML and Cobertura.
Ignore comments. Node.js reads /* node:coverage ignore next */. Jest reads /* istanbul ignore next */ with Babel and /* c8 ignore next */ with V8.

Moving from Jest

Move files that use only test, describe and simple expect calls first. Leave files that need jest.mock, jsdom or custom matchers on Jest. The two runners can share a repository while you migrate.

Coverage per test in either runner

npx supercov -- node --test
npx supercov -- npx jest

Supercov measures both runners per test, with line, branch and MC/DC coverage, and keeps your configuration. On the file above it reported 7/9 lines, 4/6 branches and 1/3 MC/DC conditions under Jest.

Choosing between Jest and Vitest? See Vitest vs Jest. For the built-in runner against Vitest, see Node.js test runner vs Vitest.