Deno is moving into a similar space as Kotlin started at by adding all this interop—they're trying to be the "better Node". Meanwhile Kotlin is frantically trying to differentiate itself because Java is closing the gap, but it's hard for them to do because they've spent so long piggybacking on the Java ecosystem.<p>Deno is very vulnerable to the same fate. Yes, it's easier to get adoption if you can plug into an ecosystem that is already popular, but then it's not your ecosystem and the behemoth that actually owns the ecosystem will feel the threat and adapt.<p>If you don't prioritize interop, your initial adoption will be much much slower, but if you make it out of the early stages you have an ecosystem of your own that has its own distinct advantages. The incumbent can't just pull in a few good features and thereby take your mind share.