smartbundle

SmartBundle

SmartBundle is a zero-config bundler tailored for library authors and package maintainers looking for simplicity and broad compatibility without the need for complex setup.

Features

SmartBundle aims to make the build process seamless and distraction-free. Key features include:

• Configuration-free setup via package.json
• Compatibility with popular bundlers and runtimes
• Support for ESM and CJS compatibility
• TypeScript typings generation
• Harmless bin scripts
• Source maps generation for easier debugging

We've also optimized several aspects to ensure the resulting package is as smooth to use as possible.

How to use

• Create a package.json file like the following:

{
  "name": "my-package",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "private": true, // prevents accidental publishing
  "type": "module",
  "exports": "./src/index.ts" // entrypoint for building the package
}

• Run

npx smartbundle@latest

The built files will appear in the ./dist folder, including an auto-generated package.json file.

• Navigate to the ./dist folder and publish your package to the npm registry.

Supported targets

Target	Supported	Tested
Bun ^1.0.0	✔	✔
Node ^18.0.0	✔	✔
Node ^20.0.0	✔	✔
Node ^22.0.0	✔	✔
Node ^23.0.0	✔	✔
Webpack ^4.47.0	✔	✔
Webpack ^5.95.0	✔	✔
Rspack ^1.0.0	✔	✔
Vite ^5.0.0	✔	not yet
Rollup ^4.0.0	✔	not yet
Deno ^2.0.0	✔	not yet
Parcel ^2.0.0	✔	not yet
Browserify ^17.0.0	✔	not yet
Esbuild ^0.24.0	✔	not yet
Metro ^0.81.0	✔	✔
Next.js/Turbopack ^13.0.0	✔	not yet

We aim to support as many bundlers and runtimes as possible. If the bundled package doesn't work with your bundler, please let us know.

package.json limitations

To reduce potential errors and ensure smooth package generation, we follow a stricter configuration for package.json.

Banned fields

files

SmartBundle calculates the import graph and includes all necessary files, making files unnecessary and potentially confusing.

main, module, browser, types

We rely on the exports field for entry points. These fields are redundant and automatically generated in ./dist/package.json.

Required fields

private

Setting "private": true avoids accidental publishing of the source package by ensuring it is not mistakenly published to npm.

Stricter fields

type

We currently support only the module type for packages, with plans to support commonjs in future releases.

exports

Only ESM/TS entry points are currently supported in exports. While conditional exports are not yet available, they’re planned for an upcoming release.

bin

Currently, we support all bin specifications except for sh files. Also, we guarantee that the bin files will execute as expected.

FAQ

Why don't you minify the output?

Minification is typically needed only for production. During development, readable, unminified output helps with debugging.

Why do you require third-party tools for building?

We prioritize keeping the node_modules size manageable and avoid unnecessary dependencies. If your package does not require TypeScript, for instance, you don’t need to install those specific tools.