Updated April 14, 2023
Difference Between Rollup vs Webpack
Rollup vs Webpack, the module bundler for JavaScript is extended to the next generation by implementing tools such as rollup and webpack. Rollup is specially designed as a module bundler for the only JavaScript. It compiles tiny pieces of code into bigger blocks and makes it more complex to be fed into an application and can be used in the library for future use. It is based on the generalized format to module the code in JavaScript in feature of ES6 revision instead of AMD and CommonJS. Webpack is designed for bundler of friends and JavaScript and wraps many modules into several bundles of assets. The splitting of code enables us to load the part and implements the demand application. With the help of module loaders, it can be used in common js, ES6 modules, AMD, Images, CSS, JSON, LESS, CoffeeScript, and it can also be used to customize the webpages or applications.
Head to Head Comparison Between Rollup vs Webpack (Infographics)
Below are the top 14 Comparisons between Rollup and Webpack:
Key differences of Rollup vs Webpack
Let us study some important key differences between Rollup and Webpack:
Both the Webpack and Rollup are categorized into JS Task runners or JS build tools. The major differences between Webpack and Rollup such as configuration, code splitting, transformation, development server, advantages, and limitations are discussed below.
Features of module bundlers
Webpack is implemented to rectify the shortcomings of asset management to involve any type of file format and maybe not even include JavaScript files and also do the splitting of codes. It is adaptable and flexible and possesses an enormous quantity of plugins for single-use cases. Whereas Rollup has built with the generalized format of ES2015 format modules to execute the code and gets minimum build codes by eliminating the dead codes.
Configuration of module bundlers
The Rollup and Webpack need a distinct file for configuring the applications which comprise files that need to input, output, transformation, and plugins which has minor differences between webpack and rollup config file. For export and import, the rollup has node polyfills option which is not possessed by webpack. The rollup extends its support to a relative path that is not supported by a webpack and so it uses path. join and path.resolve. The JavaScript is made as an entry plugin in the file configuration which is supported by webpack. But other file formats like HTML is supported by webpack using third party plugins. Rollup uses HTML file and entry point which is further installed by plugins.
Transformation
The module bundlers need JavaScript to make a bundle and don’t proceed with any other direct format. Hence to process the other JavaScript files, the conversion of format to JavaScript and then it passes the data into the bundler by using conversion called transformations. Whereas the Webpack uses loaders with the varied format for transformations. For example, CSS-loader and style-loader are used for CSS files. It requires the configuration of the file that corresponds to a particular loader that needs to be used in config files. Rollup has particular plugins needed for transformation which needs a particular specification of the plugin to the config file in the rollup.
Development server
Webpack offers a plugin known as webpack-dev-server that functions the testing and development of software applications, websites, programming. It offers a run-time environment in both software and hardware utilities which is a mandate to program the development and debugging. The simple development server of a webpack offers the functionality of a live reload. It requires a plugin and few configurations with a specific file format to serve and execute the script to execute on webpack-dev-server using package.json. But in a rollup, the implementation of the development server is made by rollup-plugin-serve that needs to rebuild the code whenever any change is required to offer the functionality on live reload but have to install an additional plugin rollup-plugin-live reload. But the configuration of the plugin should be mandatory.
Splitting of codes
The application code can take maximum time to load on mobile. The cutting of code splits the applications into tiny chunks and the user has enough load on Javascript to fetch and start the application and makes it relevant. Webpack has the code splitting as the most compelling element. It has few standard approaches and it can be available in webpack. The manual division of code can be used in entry configuration as entry points and it prevents duplication process by using the common chunk plugin to split and dedupe the chunks. The split code through function call on inline is executed within modules by using dynamic imports. But this code splitting feature is recently added in the rollup and makes it more standard in ES modules which utilizes the in-built module of browser without any additional plugins. But the experimental dynamic import and code splitting is true in the configuration file.
Comparison table of Rollup vs Webpack
Below is the comparison table:
|
Attributes |
Rollup |
Webpack |
| Advantages | It involves code inclusion and elimination of dead code in the process of tree shaking. It can be renamed to the module in the main entry in package.json for es2015 import. It has simple API and scope hoisting. | It provides extensive support for image loading, CSS, HTML, and code splitting. It has rapid fast builds for substitution for hot modules. |
| Limitation | It has restricted code support and alternative loading of file types and has no splitting of codes. | It has no scope hosting, tree shaking and has a complicated API |
| Input type of multiple modules | The input type is CJS, ES + | Here it has ES, + |
| The output type of multiple modules | It has global UMD, AMD, and CJS | It has global, ES, UMD, AMD, and CJS |
| Flexibility | It has many extensible features and has simple configurations that attract global users. | It is flexible because of its simple configuration and plugin. |
| Integration | It can be integrated with Devsync and Recompose | Gatsby, Buddy, Gridsome are few integrated tools. |
Conclusion
Rollup makes it simple for package publications and has an easier configuration. It has better tree shaking and offers only a minimum size of bundles. Whereas Webpack is a strong bundler and manages all kinds of assets. It has a simple configuration and has a Laravel-mixture. But it is underdeveloped and over-engineered. But the configuration of Webpack is a little difficult.
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