What is webpack-cli?
The webpack-cli npm package provides a command-line interface for the webpack bundler, which allows developers to interact with webpack and its features directly from the command line. It enables tasks such as creating a new webpack project, managing configurations, running the development server, and more.
What are webpack-cli's main functionalities?
Initializing a new webpack project
This command sets up a new webpack project by generating a default configuration file. It can also install webpack and related dependencies if they are not already installed.
webpack-cli init
Generating a configuration file
Generates a webpack configuration file based on the user's preferences. It can be used to quickly scaffold a new configuration or to update an existing one.
webpack-cli generate
Running a webpack build
Executes the webpack build process, which bundles the source files according to the webpack configuration. This is typically used for production builds.
webpack-cli build
Starting a development server
Starts the webpack development server, which provides a live reloading environment for development purposes. It watches for file changes and automatically recompiles the project.
webpack-cli serve
Running webpack in watch mode
Runs webpack in watch mode, where it watches for file changes and recompiles the project as necessary. This is useful during development to see changes reflected immediately.
webpack-cli watch
Other packages similar to webpack-cli
parcel-bundler
Parcel is a web application bundler that offers a similar zero-configuration experience to webpack. It focuses on speed and simplicity, with a built-in development server and hot module replacement. Unlike webpack-cli, Parcel does not require a separate CLI package to run commands.
rollup
Rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript that compiles small pieces of code into something larger and more complex, such as a library or application. It is known for its efficient output and tree-shaking capabilities. Rollup's CLI is included in the main package, unlike webpack which separates the CLI.
browserify
Browserify lets you require('modules') in the browser by bundling up all of your dependencies. It is an older tool compared to webpack and focuses on compatibility with Node.js modules. Browserify's CLI is also part of the main package.