What is unplugin?
The unplugin npm package is a framework-agnostic plugin system designed to create plugins that work across different build tools like Webpack, Vite, Rollup, and more. It allows developers to write a plugin once and have it compatible with multiple build systems without the need to rewrite it for each one.
What are unplugin's main functionalities?
Virtual Modules
Create virtual modules that can be imported by your code. These modules don't exist on the filesystem but are created on the fly by the plugin.
unplugin.createPlugin({
resolveId(id) {
if (id === 'virtual-module') return id;
},
load(id) {
if (id === 'virtual-module') return 'export default "This is virtual!"';
}
});
Transformations
Apply custom transformations to your code. This can be used to modify the source code of files before they are bundled.
unplugin.createPlugin({
transform(code, id) {
if (id.endsWith('.custom')) {
return code.replace(/find/g, 'replace');
}
}
});
Custom Build Steps
Execute custom code at different stages of the build process. This can be used to perform tasks before or after the build.
unplugin.createPlugin({
buildStart() {
console.log('Build started!');
},
buildEnd() {
console.log('Build finished!');
}
});
Other packages similar to unplugin
rollup-plugin-replace
A Rollup plugin that allows replacing strings in files while bundling. It's similar to unplugin's transformation feature but is specific to Rollup.
webpack-virtual-modules
A Webpack plugin to add virtual modules to the module graph. It provides functionality similar to unplugin's virtual modules but is specific to Webpack.
vite-plugin-vue2
A Vite-specific plugin to support Vue 2.x. It demonstrates how plugins can be tailored to specific build tools, whereas unplugin aims to be build-tool agnostic.