Node.js test runner vs Vitest

Node.js test runner or Vitest?

Use the built-in runner, node:test, for Node.js libraries, command-line tools and services with no build step: it has been stable since Node.js 20 and needs no dependency. Use Vitest when the project already uses Vite, when tests need JSX or a DOM, or when you want Jest-style matchers and mocks.

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);
});

import { expect, test } from 'vitest';
import access from './src/access.js';

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

Run them with node --test and npx vitest run.

What differs

	`node:test` on Node.js 24	Vitest 5
Install	Built in	`npm install -D vitest`
Configuration	Command-line flags	Shares Vite’s configuration and plugins
Assertions	`node:assert`	`expect`, compatible with Jest’s
Mocks	`mock.fn`, `mock.timers`; module mocks behind a flag	`vi.fn`, `vi.mock`, fake timers
TypeScript and JSX	Node.js strips types; no JSX	Both, through Vite
DOM	Not included	jsdom or happy-dom, or a real browser in Browser Mode
Watch mode	`--watch`, experimental	Built in, reruns what a change affects
Coverage	`--experimental-test-coverage`	`--coverage`, with a V8 or Istanbul provider

Sources: the Node.js test runner documentation and Vitest’s feature list.

Both read V8, and the numbers differ

The same three tests on one file, on Node.js 24.21.0 and Vitest 5.0.4:

Command	Lines	Branches	Functions
`node --test --experimental-test-coverage`	14/17 (82.35%)	5/6 (83.33%)	2/3 (66.67%)
`vitest run --coverage`, V8 provider	5/5 (100%)	6/7 (85.71%)	2/2 (100%)

Both take coverage from the V8 engine. Node.js reports it as V8 gives it: every line of the file counts, and the /* istanbul ignore next */ comment above an untested function is not read.

Vitest maps V8’s data onto the source’s syntax tree. It counts statements and honours the comment, and its totals match what Jest’s Babel provider reports for the same file. See Vitest coverage: V8 vs Istanbul.

Coverage in node:test is still marked experimental. It prints a summary and can write lcov. Vitest writes HTML, lcov, Cobertura and other reports.

Using both

They can share a repository: node:test for a server package with no build step, Vitest for the packages built with Vite. Name the test files differently so each runner picks up only its own.

Per-test coverage in either

npx supercov -- node --test
npx supercov -- npx vitest run

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 Vitest.

Comparing with Jest instead? See Node.js test runner vs Jest and Vitest vs Jest.