csso vs clean-css vs cssnano vs uglifycss vs postcss-minify vs postcss-clean

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

csso	17,714,162	3,791	606 kB	103	-	MIT
clean-css	16,759,740	4,200	493 kB	40	2 years ago	MIT
cssnano	12,660,229	4,908	7.37 kB	101	20 days ago	MIT
uglifycss	59,637	282	-	10	7 years ago	MIT
postcss-minify	24,638	6	8.22 kB	0	3 months ago	MIT
postcss-clean	17,546	42	-	12	5 years ago	MIT

Minification and Optimization

csso:
csso (CSS Optimizer) not only minifies CSS but also optimizes its structure, potentially leading to smaller file sizes. It performs advanced optimizations like merging and reordering rules, making it effective for both minification and optimization tasks.
clean-css:
clean-css provides advanced minification with multiple optimization levels, allowing users to choose the balance between speed and output size. It supports merging, restructuring, and removing duplicate rules, making it highly efficient for large CSS files.
cssnano:
cssnano focuses on producing the smallest possible CSS by applying a series of optimizations. It is modular, allowing users to enable or disable specific optimizations based on their needs, which makes it flexible and efficient for modern workflows.
uglifycss:
uglifycss is a command-line tool that minifies CSS files by removing whitespace, comments, and other unnecessary characters. It is simple to use and can be integrated into build processes, making it a practical choice for quick and effective minification.
postcss-minify:
postcss-minify is another PostCSS plugin that focuses on minifying CSS by removing redundant whitespace and comments. It is straightforward and integrates well with other PostCSS plugins, providing a no-frills solution for CSS minification.
postcss-clean:
postcss-clean is a simple PostCSS plugin that removes whitespace, comments, and other unnecessary characters from CSS. It is lightweight and easy to use, making it suitable for projects that require basic minification without complex configurations.

Integration with Build Tools

csso:
csso can be integrated into build tools like Gulp and Webpack, and it also provides a command-line interface. Its ability to optimize CSS structure makes it a valuable addition to any build pipeline focused on CSS performance.
clean-css:
clean-css can be easily integrated into various build tools and task runners like Gulp, Webpack, and Grunt. It offers both a command-line interface and an API, providing flexibility for different workflows.
cssnano:
cssnano is designed to work seamlessly with PostCSS, making it an excellent choice for projects that already use PostCSS in their build process. It can be easily configured in PostCSS setups, allowing for smooth integration.
uglifycss:
uglifycss is a standalone tool that can be integrated into build processes via scripts. Its simplicity and command-line interface make it easy to use in automated workflows, although it may not offer the same level of integration as plugin-based solutions.
postcss-minify:
postcss-minify integrates easily with PostCSS workflows, providing a simple and effective minification solution. Its compatibility with other PostCSS plugins allows for flexible and efficient build processes.
postcss-clean:
postcss-clean is a PostCSS plugin, which means it integrates effortlessly into any PostCSS workflow. It requires minimal setup and works well alongside other PostCSS plugins, making it a great choice for projects using the PostCSS ecosystem.

Customization and Configuration

csso:
csso provides some customization options, particularly around its optimization algorithms. However, it is more focused on providing effective optimization out of the box, which may limit configurability compared to more modular tools like cssnano.
clean-css:
clean-css offers extensive customization options, including the ability to set optimization levels, control the handling of colors, URLs, and more. Its API allows for fine-tuning, making it suitable for projects that require specific minification settings.
cssnano:
cssnano is highly configurable, allowing users to enable or disable specific optimization plugins based on their needs. Its modular design means that developers can customize the minification process to suit their project requirements easily.
uglifycss:
uglifycss allows for some customization, such as setting the level of minification and choosing whether to preserve certain comments. However, it is relatively straightforward and does not offer extensive configurability, making it easy to use for quick minification tasks.
postcss-minify:
postcss-minify offers basic customization for minification but is generally designed to be used with default settings. Its simplicity means that it does not have a wide range of configurable options, which keeps it easy to use but limits flexibility.
postcss-clean:
postcss-clean is a straightforward plugin with minimal configuration options. It is designed to be simple and effective, so it does not offer extensive customization features, making it easy to use without much setup.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

csso:

Minification with csso

const csso = require('csso');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
const output = csso.minify(inputCSS);
console.log(output.css);

clean-css:

Minification with clean-css

const CleanCSS = require('clean-css');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
const output = new CleanCSS().minify(inputCSS);
console.log(output.styles);

cssnano:

Minification with cssnano

const postcss = require('postcss');
const cssnano = require('cssnano');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
postcss([cssnano()]).process(inputCSS, { from: undefined }).then(result => {
  console.log(result.css);
});

uglifycss:

Minification with uglifycss

const uglifycss = require('uglifycss');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
const output = uglifycss.processString(inputCSS);
console.log(output);

postcss-minify:

Minification with postcss-minify

const postcss = require('postcss');
const postcssMinify = require('postcss-minify');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
postcss([postcssMinify()]).process(inputCSS, { from: undefined }).then(result => {
  console.log(result.css);
});

postcss-clean:

Minification with postcss-clean

const postcss = require('postcss');
const postcssClean = require('postcss-clean');
const inputCSS = 'body { color: red; }';
postcss([postcssClean()]).process(inputCSS, { from: undefined }).then(result => {
  console.log(result.css);
});