rollup vs webpack vs vite vs parcel
JavaScript Bundlers and Build Tools Comparison
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What's JavaScript Bundlers and Build Tools?

JavaScript bundlers and build tools are essential for modern web development, enabling developers to package their code, manage dependencies, and optimize performance for production. These tools help streamline the development process by automating tasks such as transpiling, minifying, and hot module replacement, which are crucial for building efficient and maintainable web applications. Each tool has its unique features and use cases, catering to different project requirements and developer preferences.

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rollup16,276,03225,5052.61 MB5823 hours agoMIT
webpack16,072,10364,9415.21 MB247a month agoMIT
vite10,703,01769,8252.82 MB6315 days agoMIT
parcel115,75243,57343.9 kB64622 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: rollup vs webpack vs vite vs parcel

Configuration

  • rollup:

    Rollup requires a configuration file to define input and output settings, plugins, and other options. This explicit configuration allows for fine-tuning but may have a steeper learning curve for newcomers.

  • webpack:

    Webpack is highly configurable and requires a detailed configuration file to manage entry points, loaders, plugins, and optimization strategies. This complexity allows for powerful customizations but can be overwhelming for new users.

  • vite:

    Vite offers a simple configuration setup that can be extended as needed. It provides sensible defaults while allowing customization through a configuration file, making it accessible yet flexible for developers.

  • parcel:

    Parcel is designed to work out of the box with minimal configuration. It automatically detects file types and applies the necessary transformations, making it user-friendly for beginners and quick projects.

Performance

  • rollup:

    Rollup excels in producing optimized bundles with tree-shaking capabilities, resulting in smaller file sizes. It is particularly effective for libraries where minimizing bundle size is crucial.

  • webpack:

    Webpack can be optimized for performance through various techniques, such as code splitting and lazy loading. However, its initial build times can be slower compared to other tools, especially in larger projects.

  • vite:

    Vite provides near-instantaneous hot module replacement (HMR) during development, significantly enhancing the developer experience. Its build process leverages Rollup for production, ensuring optimized output without sacrificing speed.

  • parcel:

    Parcel boasts fast build times due to its parallel processing capabilities and efficient caching mechanisms. It is optimized for development speed, making it ideal for rapid prototyping and smaller applications.

Ecosystem and Plugins

  • rollup:

    Rollup has a rich ecosystem of plugins tailored for various tasks, particularly for library development. Its plugin system allows for extensive customization and integration with other tools.

  • webpack:

    Webpack has a vast ecosystem with a wide array of plugins and loaders, allowing for extensive customization and integration with various technologies. This makes it suitable for complex applications but can lead to configuration bloat.

  • vite:

    Vite's ecosystem is rapidly expanding, with a focus on modern frameworks and tools. It supports plugins that enhance functionality and integrate seamlessly with popular libraries.

  • parcel:

    Parcel has a growing ecosystem of plugins, but it is not as extensive as Webpack's. Its simplicity means fewer plugins are needed, which can be an advantage for smaller projects.

Development Experience

  • rollup:

    Rollup provides a straightforward development experience for library authors, but it may require more setup and configuration compared to Parcel and Vite.

  • webpack:

    Webpack's development experience can be complex due to its configuration requirements. However, once set up, it offers powerful features for managing large applications.

  • vite:

    Vite is designed for a modern development experience, with features like HMR and fast builds that enhance productivity, especially for single-page applications.

  • parcel:

    Parcel offers a smooth development experience with its automatic setup and fast builds, allowing developers to focus on coding rather than configuration.

Community and Support

  • rollup:

    Rollup has a dedicated community, particularly among library developers. Its documentation is comprehensive, providing guidance for various use cases.

  • webpack:

    Webpack has one of the largest communities in the JavaScript ecosystem, with extensive documentation, tutorials, and resources available. This support network is invaluable for troubleshooting and learning.

  • vite:

    Vite's community is rapidly growing, especially among developers using modern frameworks. Its documentation is well-structured and user-friendly, making it accessible for new users.

  • parcel:

    Parcel has a growing community, but it is smaller compared to Webpack. Documentation is clear, making it easier for newcomers to get started.

How to Choose: rollup vs webpack vs vite vs parcel
  • rollup:

    Select Rollup if you are focused on building libraries or applications that require tree-shaking capabilities to eliminate dead code. Rollup is particularly effective for ES modules and produces smaller bundles, making it suitable for projects where performance is critical.

  • webpack:

    Choose Webpack for its extensive configurability and robust ecosystem, especially for large-scale applications where you need fine-grained control over the build process. Webpack is well-suited for complex applications that require custom loaders, plugins, and optimization strategies.

  • vite:

    Opt for Vite if you need a modern development experience with lightning-fast hot module replacement and an optimized build process. Vite is perfect for projects that utilize modern JavaScript features and frameworks like Vue or React, providing a seamless development workflow.

  • parcel:

    Choose Parcel for its zero-configuration setup and fast build times, especially for smaller projects or when you want to quickly prototype without getting bogged down in configuration details. It automatically handles file types and optimizations, making it ideal for developers who prefer simplicity.

Similar Npm Packages to rollup

rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript applications, designed to optimize the process of packaging and serving code. It is particularly well-suited for libraries and applications that utilize ES modules, as it can produce smaller and more efficient bundles by leveraging tree-shaking capabilities. Rollup allows developers to write modular code while ensuring that the final output is optimized for performance, making it a popular choice for building libraries and applications.

While Rollup is a powerful tool, there are several alternatives in the JavaScript ecosystem that serve similar purposes. Here are a few notable ones:

  • browserify is a tool that allows developers to use Node.js-style require statements in the browser. It transforms Node-style modules into a format that can be used in the browser, enabling developers to write modular code. While Browserify is effective for smaller projects, it may not be as performant as Rollup for larger applications due to its lack of tree-shaking capabilities.

  • gulp is a task runner that automates various development tasks, including file transformations, minification, and bundling. While Gulp can be used for bundling JavaScript files, it is more focused on task automation and may require additional plugins to achieve similar functionality to Rollup. Gulp is ideal for developers looking for a flexible and customizable build process.

  • parcel is a zero-configuration web application bundler that aims to simplify the development process. It automatically handles module bundling, code splitting, and asset optimization without the need for extensive configuration. Parcel is a great choice for developers who want a quick setup and an easy-to-use bundler, although it may not provide the same level of control and optimization as Rollup for library development.

  • webpack is one of the most popular module bundlers in the JavaScript ecosystem. It offers a wide range of features, including code splitting, hot module replacement, and extensive plugin support. While Webpack is highly configurable and powerful, it can also be complex to set up and manage. For larger applications that require fine-tuned control over the build process, Webpack is often the go-to choice.

To see how Rollup compares with Browserify, Gulp, Parcel, and Webpack, check out the comparison: Comparing browserify vs gulp vs parcel vs rollup vs webpack.

Similar Npm Packages to vite

vite is a modern build tool and development server designed to provide a fast and efficient development experience for web applications. It leverages native ES modules in the browser for lightning-fast hot module replacement (HMR) and offers a streamlined setup for modern JavaScript frameworks like Vue, React, and Svelte. Vite's focus on speed, simplicity, and an optimized development workflow makes it a popular choice among developers looking to enhance their productivity.

While Vite is an excellent choice, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that also serve as build tools and bundlers. Here are a few notable ones:

  • parcel is a zero-configuration web application bundler that aims to provide a simple and fast development experience. Parcel automatically handles file transformations, code splitting, and asset optimization without requiring extensive configuration. It is particularly well-suited for smaller projects or developers who prefer a more hands-off approach to configuration. Parcel's built-in support for various file types and its fast build times make it a great alternative for those looking for ease of use.
  • rollup is a module bundler that focuses on producing optimized bundles for JavaScript libraries and applications. It is particularly well-known for its tree-shaking capabilities, which help eliminate dead code and reduce bundle size. Rollup is a great choice for developers looking to create libraries or applications that require a high level of optimization and performance. Its plugin ecosystem allows for extensive customization, making it suitable for a variety of use cases.
  • webpack is one of the most widely used module bundlers in the JavaScript ecosystem. It provides a powerful and flexible configuration system, allowing developers to customize their build process extensively. Webpack supports a wide range of features, including code splitting, asset management, and hot module replacement. While it offers great flexibility, its complexity can be overwhelming for newcomers. Webpack is ideal for larger projects that require fine-tuned control over the build process.

To see how Vite compares with Parcel, Rollup, and Webpack, check out the comparison: Comparing parcel vs rollup vs vite vs webpack.

Similar Npm Packages to parcel

parcel is a web application bundler that aims to provide a fast and zero-configuration experience for developers. It automatically handles various tasks such as module bundling, code splitting, and asset optimization without requiring extensive configuration files. Parcel is particularly well-suited for developers looking for a straightforward setup and quick build times, making it an attractive option for both small and large projects.

While Parcel is a powerful tool, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that cater to different needs and preferences:

  • browserify is a tool that allows developers to use Node.js-style modules in the browser. It transforms CommonJS modules into a format that can be understood by the browser, enabling developers to write modular code without worrying about compatibility issues. Browserify is particularly useful for projects that heavily rely on Node.js modules and want to maintain a modular structure in their client-side code.

  • grunt is a JavaScript task runner that automates repetitive tasks such as minification, compilation, unit testing, and linting. While it is not a bundler per se, Grunt can be configured to work with various plugins to achieve similar results. It is ideal for developers who prefer a highly customizable and extensible build process, although it may require more setup compared to other tools.

  • gulp is another task runner that uses a code-over-configuration approach, allowing developers to define tasks using JavaScript. Gulp is known for its speed and flexibility, as it streams files through a series of transformations. It is a great choice for developers who want to create a custom build process tailored to their specific needs, although it may involve more initial setup than Parcel.

  • rollup is a module bundler that focuses on optimizing the output for libraries and applications. It supports ES modules natively and provides tree-shaking capabilities, allowing developers to reduce the size of their bundles by eliminating unused code. Rollup is particularly well-suited for building libraries and applications where performance and bundle size are critical.

  • webpack is one of the most popular module bundlers in the JavaScript ecosystem. It offers a highly configurable setup and supports a wide range of features, including code splitting, hot module replacement, and asset management. While it provides great flexibility and power, it can also be complex to configure, making it more suitable for larger projects that require a tailored build process.

To compare these tools further, you can check out the following link: Comparing browserify vs grunt vs gulp vs parcel vs rollup vs webpack.

README for rollup

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Rollup

Overview

Rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript which compiles small pieces of code into something larger and more complex, such as a library or application. It uses the standardized ES module format for code, instead of previous idiosyncratic solutions such as CommonJS and AMD. ES modules let you freely and seamlessly combine the most useful individual functions from your favorite libraries. Rollup can optimize ES modules for faster native loading in modern browsers, or output a legacy module format allowing ES module workflows today.

Quick Start Guide

Install with npm install --global rollup. Rollup can be used either through a command line interface with an optional configuration file or else through its JavaScript API. Run rollup --help to see the available options and parameters. The starter project templates, rollup-starter-lib and rollup-starter-app, demonstrate common configuration options, and more detailed instructions are available throughout the user guide.

Commands

These commands assume the entry point to your application is named main.js, and that you'd like all imports compiled into a single file named bundle.js.

For browsers:

# compile to a <script> containing a self-executing function
rollup main.js --format iife --name "myBundle" --file bundle.js

For Node.js:

# compile to a CommonJS module
rollup main.js --format cjs --file bundle.js

For both browsers and Node.js:

# UMD format requires a bundle name
rollup main.js --format umd --name "myBundle" --file bundle.js

Why

Developing software is usually easier if you break your project into smaller separate pieces, since that often removes unexpected interactions and dramatically reduces the complexity of the problems you'll need to solve, and simply writing smaller projects in the first place isn't necessarily the answer. Unfortunately, JavaScript has not historically included this capability as a core feature in the language.

This finally changed with ES modules support in JavaScript, which provides a syntax for importing and exporting functions and data so they can be shared between separate scripts. Most browsers and Node.js support ES modules. However, Node.js releases before 12.17 support ES modules only behind the --experimental-modules flag, and older browsers like Internet Explorer do not support ES modules at all. Rollup allows you to write your code using ES modules, and run your application even in environments that do not support ES modules natively. For environments that support them, Rollup can output optimized ES modules; for environments that don't, Rollup can compile your code to other formats such as CommonJS modules, AMD modules, and IIFE-style scripts. This means that you get to write future-proof code, and you also get the tremendous benefits of...

Tree Shaking

In addition to enabling the use of ES modules, Rollup also statically analyzes and optimizes the code you are importing, and will exclude anything that isn't actually used. This allows you to build on top of existing tools and modules without adding extra dependencies or bloating the size of your project.

For example, with CommonJS, the entire tool or library must be imported.

// import the entire utils object with CommonJS
var utils = require('node:utils');
var query = 'Rollup';
// use the ajax method of the utils object
utils.ajax('https://api.example.com?search=' + query).then(handleResponse);

But with ES modules, instead of importing the whole utils object, we can just import the one ajax function we need:

// import the ajax function with an ES import statement
import { ajax } from 'node:utils';

var query = 'Rollup';
// call the ajax function
ajax('https://api.example.com?search=' + query).then(handleResponse);

Because Rollup includes the bare minimum, it results in lighter, faster, and less complicated libraries and applications. Since this approach is based on explicit import and export statements, it is vastly more effective than simply running an automated minifier to detect unused variables in the compiled output code.

Compatibility

Importing CommonJS

Rollup can import existing CommonJS modules through a plugin.

Publishing ES Modules

To make sure your ES modules are immediately usable by tools that work with CommonJS such as Node.js and webpack, you can use Rollup to compile to UMD or CommonJS format, and then point to that compiled version with the main property in your package.json file. If your package.json file also has a module field, ES-module-aware tools like Rollup and webpack will import the ES module version directly.

Contributors

This project exists thanks to all the people who contribute. [Contribute]. . If you want to contribute yourself, head over to the contribution guidelines.

Backers

Thank you to all our backers! 🙏 [Become a backer]

Sponsors

Support this project by becoming a sponsor. Your logo will show up here with a link to your website. [Become a sponsor]

Special Sponsor

TNG Logo

TNG has been supporting the work of Lukas Taegert-Atkinson on Rollup since 2017.

License

MIT

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