# Fresh — Full-Stack Web Framework for Deno

> A next-generation web framework built for Deno with just-in-time rendering, island-based hydration, and zero build step. Pages are server-rendered by default with no client JS shipped unless opted in.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Fresh — Full-Stack Web Framework for Deno

## Quick Use
```bash
deno run -A -r https://fresh.deno.dev my-app
cd my-app
deno task start
```

## Introduction
Fresh is a full-stack web framework designed for Deno. It sends zero JavaScript to the client by default, using server-side rendering for all pages. Interactive components are loaded selectively through an islands architecture, resulting in fast page loads without a build step.

## What Fresh Does
- Renders pages on the server with no client-side JS by default
- Supports islands architecture for selective client-side hydration
- Uses file-system routing (``routes/`` directory maps to URL paths)
- Provides built-in middleware, error pages, and API route handlers
- Runs on Deno Deploy for edge deployment or any Deno-compatible host

## Architecture Overview
Fresh uses Preact as its rendering engine and compiles island components on demand using esbuild. Routes are defined as files in the ``routes/`` directory, where each file exports a handler and/or a component. Static assets are served from a ``static/`` directory. There is no build step during development; TypeScript and JSX are handled natively by Deno.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Requires Deno runtime (v1.35+ or Deno 2)
- Configure via ``fresh.config.ts`` for plugins and middleware
- Deploy to Deno Deploy with ``deployctl deploy``
- Self-host on any server with ``deno run -A main.ts``
- Add Tailwind CSS via the official plugin in the project scaffold

## Key Features
- Zero-config TypeScript and JSX support through Deno
- No build step required for development or production
- Islands architecture sends JS only for interactive components
- File-system routing with support for dynamic and catch-all routes
- First-class integration with Deno Deploy for edge hosting

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Next.js** — React-based with Node.js; Fresh uses Preact on Deno with no build step
- **Astro** — content-focused with multi-framework islands; Fresh is Preact-only on Deno
- **Remix** — relies on React and Node; Fresh is lighter with Deno-native tooling
- **SvelteKit** — uses Svelte compiler; Fresh skips the build step entirely
- **Hono** — minimal HTTP framework; Fresh is full-stack with routing and rendering

## FAQ
**Q: Do I need Node.js to use Fresh?**
A: No. Fresh runs entirely on Deno and does not use npm or Node.js.

**Q: Can I use npm packages with Fresh?**
A: Yes. Deno supports npm specifiers (``npm:package-name``), so most npm packages work.

**Q: What is an island in Fresh?**
A: An island is a Preact component placed in the ``islands/`` directory that gets hydrated on the client. Everything else remains server-rendered HTML.

**Q: Is Fresh production-ready?**
A: Fresh is used in production by Deno and other companies. It follows semantic versioning with stable releases.

## Sources
- https://github.com/denoland/fresh
- https://fresh.deno.dev/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-c04c98ff
Author: AI Open Source