rollupWhat is rollup?
It 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 new standardized format for code modules included in the ES6 revision of JavaScript, instead of previous idiosyncratic solutions such as CommonJS and AMD.
rollup is a tool in the Build Automation category of a tech stack.
rollup Pros & Cons
Pros of rollup
- ✓Makes it easy to publish packages
- ✓Easier configuration
- ✓Better tree shaking
- ✓Provides smaller bundle size
- ✓Integrates seamlessly with SystemJS
- ✓Produces very clean code
- ✓Very flexible
- ✓Very reliable
- ✓Very robust Plugin-API (years old Plugins still work)
- ✓Was built with ESM-Modules in mind
Cons of rollup
- ✗Almost everything needs to be a Plugin
- ✗Manual Chunking is a bit buggy
- ✗No clear path for static assets
- ✗No Loader like Webpack (need to use sjs or ESM imports)
rollup Alternatives & Comparisons
What are some alternatives to rollup?
Webpack
A bundler for javascript and friends. Packs many modules into a few bundled assets. Code Splitting allows to load parts for the application on demand. Through "loaders" modules can be CommonJs, AMD, ES6 modules, CSS, Images, JSON, Coffeescript, LESS, ... and your custom stuff.
gulp
Build system automating tasks: minification and copying of all JavaScript files, static images. More capable of watching files to automatically rerun the task when a file changes.
Grunt
The less work you have to do when performing repetitive tasks like minification, compilation, unit testing, linting, etc, the easier your job becomes. After you've configured it, a task runner can do most of that mundane work for you—and your team—with basically zero effort.
