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Webpacker vs rollup: What are the differences?
Introduction
Webpacker and Rollup are both popular module bundlers commonly used in web development projects. While they serve a similar purpose of bundling JavaScript modules, there are key differences between the two tools that developers should consider.
Configuration Complexity: Webpacker typically requires more configuration and setup compared to Rollup. Webpacker's configuration can be complex and intimidating for beginners, whereas Rollup offers a simpler and more straightforward configuration process, making it easier to get started with.
Tree Shaking: Rollup is known for its superior tree shaking capabilities compared to Webpacker. Tree shaking is a process of eliminating dead code from your bundle, resulting in smaller file sizes and improved performance. Rollup's tree shaking algorithm is more effective in removing unused code, leading to more efficient bundles.
Bundle Size Optimization: Rollup excels in producing smaller bundle sizes compared to Webpacker. Rollup's tree shaking feature, along with its efficient code-splitting mechanism, helps in generating minimal and optimized bundles. This can be beneficial for websites seeking faster loading times and improved user experience.
Usage in Library Development: Rollup is often preferred for library developers due to its ability to create smaller and more concise bundles. Libraries leveraging Rollup can offer better performance and compatibility with different environments. On the other hand, Webpacker is more suitable for complex web applications with various dependencies and configurations.
Community and Ecosystem: Webpacker has a larger and more established community compared to Rollup. This results in a wider range of plugins, loaders, and community support available for Webpacker users. Rollup, while growing in popularity, may have a smaller ecosystem with limited resources and support options.
Development Speed and Build Time: Rollup is known for its faster build times compared to Webpacker. The simplicity of Rollup's bundling process, along with its efficient module resolution algorithm, can significantly reduce the build time of projects. This can be advantageous for developers seeking quicker feedback loops during development.
In Summary, when choosing between Webpacker and Rollup, developers should consider factors such as configuration complexity, tree shaking capabilities, bundle size optimization, suitability for library development, community support, and build time efficiency.
We mostly use rollup to publish package onto NPM. For most all other use cases, we use the Meteor build tool (probably 99% of the time) for publishing packages. If you're using Node on FHIR you probably won't need to know rollup, unless you are somehow working on helping us publish front end user interface components using FHIR. That being said, we have been migrating away from Atmosphere package manager towards NPM. As we continue to migrate away, we may publish other NPM packages using rollup.
Pros of rollup
- Makes it easy to publish packages4
- Easier configuration3
- Better tree shaking2
- Provides smaller bundle size2
- Integrates seamlessly with SystemJS1
- Produces very clean code1
- Very reliable1
- Very robust Plugin-API (years old Plugins still work)1
- Very flexible1
- Was built with ESM-Modules in mind1
Pros of Webpacker
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Cons of rollup
- No clear path for static assets1
- No Loader like Webpack (need to use sjs or ESM imports)1
- Almost everything needs to be a Plugin1
- Manual Chunking is a bit buggy1
Cons of Webpacker
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What is rollup?
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