rollup vs tsup
JavaScript Bundlers Comparison
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What's JavaScript Bundlers?

JavaScript bundlers are tools that take multiple JavaScript files (modules) and combine them into a single file (or a few files) for deployment. This process is essential for optimizing web applications, as it reduces the number of HTTP requests, minifies the code, and can perform tree-shaking to eliminate unused code. rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript that compiles small pieces of code into something larger and more complex, such as a library or application. It is particularly known for its ability to produce highly optimized bundles, making it a favorite for library authors. tsup is a zero-config bundler for TypeScript projects that leverages esbuild under the hood. It is designed for speed and simplicity, making it ideal for developers who want quick builds without the hassle of extensive configuration. tsup also supports features like tree-shaking, code splitting, and minification, but with a focus on providing a fast and efficient build process, especially for TypeScript projects.

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rollup30,316,22125,6052.69 MB5906 hours agoMIT
tsup1,483,7669,813390 kB3424 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: rollup vs tsup

Configuration

  • rollup:

    rollup requires configuration through a rollup.config.js file, allowing for detailed customization of the bundling process. This includes specifying input/output files, plugins, and optimization settings, making it highly flexible but potentially complex for simple projects.

  • tsup:

    tsup is designed to work with zero configuration for most use cases, especially for TypeScript projects. It automatically detects settings based on the project structure, which significantly reduces setup time and complexity.

Performance

  • rollup:

    rollup is known for producing highly optimized bundles, particularly for libraries, thanks to its tree-shaking capabilities that eliminate dead code. However, the build time can be longer for large projects due to its comprehensive optimization processes.

  • tsup:

    tsup is built on top of esbuild, which is one of the fastest bundlers available. It offers significantly faster build times compared to traditional bundlers, making it a great choice for projects where speed is a priority.

Tree Shaking

  • rollup:

    rollup has excellent tree-shaking capabilities, which means it can eliminate unused code from the final bundle. This feature is particularly beneficial for library authors who want to ensure that their packages are as small as possible.

  • tsup:

    tsup also supports tree-shaking out of the box, leveraging esbuild's efficient algorithm to remove unused exports, resulting in smaller bundles without any additional configuration.

Plugin Ecosystem

  • rollup:

    rollup has a mature and extensive plugin ecosystem, allowing developers to extend its functionality in various ways, such as adding support for different file types, optimizing images, or integrating with other tools.

  • tsup:

    tsup has a more limited plugin ecosystem compared to rollup, but it is designed to work seamlessly with TypeScript and supports plugins natively, allowing for some level of customization.

Code Splitting

  • rollup:

    rollup supports code splitting, which allows you to break your bundle into smaller chunks that can be loaded on demand. This feature is useful for improving the performance of large applications by only loading the code that is needed at any given time.

  • tsup:

    tsup also supports code splitting, making it a good choice for projects that require this feature. However, the implementation is more straightforward and less configurable compared to rollup.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

  • rollup:

    Basic rollup Configuration Example

    // rollup.config.js
import { terser } from 'rollup-plugin-terser';

export default {
  input: 'src/index.js',
  output: {
    file: 'dist/bundle.js',
    format: 'iife',
    name: 'MyBundle',
  },
  plugins: [terser()], // Minify the bundle
};
  • tsup:

    Basic tsup Configuration Example

    // tsup.config.ts
export default {
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  outDir: 'dist',
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  splitting: true,
  sourcemap: true,
  clean: true,
};
How to Choose: rollup vs tsup
  • rollup:

    Choose rollup if you need a highly configurable bundler that produces optimized bundles, especially for libraries. It offers advanced features like tree-shaking, code splitting, and plugin support, making it suitable for complex projects where fine-tuned control over the build process is required.

  • tsup:

    Choose tsup if you want a fast, zero-config bundler for TypeScript projects. It is ideal for developers who prioritize speed and simplicity and want to minimize configuration time while still getting features like tree-shaking and minification.

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 tsup

tsup is a modern bundler for JavaScript and TypeScript projects that focuses on simplicity and speed. It leverages the power of esbuild under the hood, providing a zero-config setup for building libraries and applications. With features like tree-shaking, minification, and support for multiple entry points, tsup is an excellent choice for developers looking for an efficient and straightforward bundling solution.

While tsup offers a compelling approach to bundling, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that cater to different needs:

  • esbuild is a highly performant JavaScript bundler and minifier that is designed for speed. It is written in Go and can handle large codebases with remarkable efficiency. esbuild is particularly well-suited for projects that require rapid build times and supports modern JavaScript features out of the box. If you prioritize speed and performance in your build process, esbuild is a strong contender.
  • rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript that is particularly popular for building libraries and applications that use ES modules. It excels in creating optimized bundles with tree-shaking capabilities, ensuring that only the necessary code is included in the final output. rollup is ideal for projects that require a high level of optimization and a focus on module-based architecture.
  • webpack is one of the most widely used module bundlers in the JavaScript ecosystem. It offers a comprehensive feature set, including code splitting, lazy loading, and a rich plugin ecosystem. While it can be more complex to configure compared to tsup, webpack is highly customizable and can handle a wide range of use cases, making it suitable for large-scale applications.

To see how tsup compares with esbuild, rollup, and webpack, check out the comparison: Comparing esbuild vs rollup vs tsup vs webpack.

README for rollup

npm version node compatibility install size code coverage backers sponsors license Join the chat at https://is.gd/rollup_chat

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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