The established bundler.
WHAT IT DOES
Builds a dependency graph from an entry point, and produces bundles.
WHAT LOADERS DO
Transform files: compile, process stylesheets, handle assets.
WHAT PLUGINS DO
Act on the whole build: generate markup, extract stylesheets, analyse output.
WHY IT IS STILL PRESENT
Enormous numbers of existing projects use it, and it handles complex requirements.
WHAT IT COSTS
Configuration complexity Slower builds on large projects
WHAT TO UNDERSTAND IN ANY CONFIGURATION
Entry points Output configuration Loaders, and the order they apply Plugins Resolution and aliases Mode, which changes optimisation
WHY LOADER ORDER MATTERS
They apply in reverse of how they are listed, which confuses everyone once.
WHAT CODE SPLITTING PROVIDES
Separate bundles loaded on demand, rather than one large file.
WHAT TO SPLIT BY
Route, and large dependencies.
WHAT TO ANALYSE
Bundle contents, which reveals what is actually included.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND
Large dependencies included for one function.
WHAT TO DECIDE FOR NEW PROJECTS
Whether a simpler tool would suffice.
