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Browserify VS RequireJS

Compare Browserify VS RequireJS and see what are their differences

Browserify logo Browserify

Browserify lets you require('modules') in the browser by bundling up all of your dependencies.

RequireJS logo RequireJS

RequireJS is a JavaScript file and module loader.
  • Browserify Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • RequireJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-19

Browserify features and specs

  • Node.js module system support
    Browserify allows developers to use the Node.js-style require() function for module loading in the browser, enabling the use of NPM packages designed for Node.js.
  • Code organization
    By enabling modular code, Browserify helps developers organize their code better, making it more maintainable and scalable.
  • Ecosystem integration
    Browserify seamlessly integrates with the Node.js ecosystem and encourages code sharing between the server and client.
  • Customizability
    With Browserify's plugin system, developers can easily customize and extend its functionality to fit their needs.
  • Performance optimization
    Advanced features like code splitting and static analysis can improve performance by reducing the amount of code sent to the browser.

Possible disadvantages of Browserify

  • Build process complexity
    Integrating Browserify into your workflow can add complexity to your build process, especially for developers who are not familiar with build tools.
  • Plugins and transformations
    While Browserify is customizable, managing a large number of plugins and transformations can become cumbersome and difficult to understand.
  • Performance overhead
    The bundling process can introduce performance overhead during development due to the time taken to bundle the files.
  • Modern alternatives
    Modern alternatives like Webpack and Rollup offer more features and optimizations, making Browserify less attractive for some use cases.
  • Limited built-in features
    Compared to alternatives like Webpack, Browserify has fewer built-in features, which can necessitate additional tools or plugins for functionalities like hot module replacement.

RequireJS features and specs

  • Modularization
    RequireJS encourages a modular approach to development by allowing developers to define dependencies between JavaScript files. This modularization leads to cleaner code and easier maintenance.
  • Asynchronous Loading
    Scripts are loaded asynchronously, which can lead to improved performance. This non-blocking nature ensures that the web page remains responsive while scripts are still being loaded.
  • Dependency Management
    RequireJS automatically manages dependencies, ensuring that each module is loaded in the correct order. This reduces the risk of runtime errors caused by missing or incorrectly ordered scripts.
  • AMD Standard
    It implements the Asynchronous Module Definition (AMD) API, which promotes compatibility between different JavaScript libraries that conform to this standard.
  • Optimization Tools
    RequireJS includes optimization tools that can concatenate and minify JavaScript files, reducing the number of HTTP requests and file size for production environments.

Possible disadvantages of RequireJS

  • Learning Curve
    For developers not familiar with AMD or module loaders, RequireJS can introduce complexity and have a steep learning curve compared to simpler script-loading methods.
  • Not ES6 Module Compatible
    RequireJS is designed around the AMD pattern and does not natively support ES6 module syntax, which has become the standard in modern JavaScript development.
  • Overhead
    Although it offers powerful features, RequireJS introduces some initial setup and configuration overhead, which can be cumbersome for small projects or scripts.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some older libraries or scripts might not be compatible with RequireJS without modifications, leading to potential integration issues when using certain third-party libraries.
  • Declining Popularity
    With the adoption of native ES6 modules and modern build tools like Webpack and Parcel, RequireJS is less commonly used, potentially reducing community support and resources.

Browserify videos

MacBook Pro Retina vs MacBook Air - Django collect static & browserify

More videos:

  • Review - Atlanta JavaScript Presents Mobile Development with Cordova and Browserify with Roman Shtylman HD

RequireJS videos

Optimize Your CSS With RequireJS

More videos:

  • Review - RequireJS and Magento2
  • Review - Yeoman 1.0 Backbone RequireJS - Video 2

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Browserify and RequireJS)
JS Build Tools
50 50%
50% 50
Web Application Bundler
54 54%
46% 46
Front End Package Manager
Module Bundler
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Browserify and RequireJS

Browserify Reviews

First impressions with Parcel JS
Heard of Webpack, Rollup or Browserify? They are popular bundlers. If you’ve used one of them, you’ve used a bundler. A bundler does what it says on the tin, bundles your code 📦
Source: codeburst.io

RequireJS Reviews

We have no reviews of RequireJS yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Browserify should be more popular than RequireJS. It has been mentiond 22 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Browserify mentions (22)

  • Node.js: A brief history of cjs, bundlers, and esm
    Npm packages dramatically sped up the productivity of developers by being able to leverage other developers' work. However, it had a major disadvantage: cjs was not compatible with web browsers. To solve this problem, the concept of bundlers was born. Browserify was the first bundler which essentially worked by traversing an entry point and "bundling" all the require()-ed code into a single .js file compatible... - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • How to Create a Real-time Public Transportation Schedule App
    Browserify to use node packages in the browser. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • 5 Different Tools to Bundle Node.js Apps
    Browserify is a widely used JavaScript bundler with over 2 million NPM weekly downloads. In addition to Node.js support, allowing developers to use require() statements in the browser is one of its highlighted features. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • JavaScript Module Bundlers and all that Jazz ✨
    This began to change when NPM came in and running npm install became a quick and easy way to install dependencies. Browserify became the first JavaScript bundler. As its documentation says -. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Hack to Run React Application inside Service Worker
    One problem was to run jsDOM as UMD module. But luckly I was able to use browserify to compile jsDOM into UMD. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
View more

RequireJS mentions (12)

  • Why hasn't JavaScript implemented namespaces yet?
    There is a library called requirejs (https://requirejs.org/) that accomplishes what I am referring to. However, this is essentially similar to the situation in PHP prior to version 5.3 - a solution implemented at the level of a separate library rather than at the language level. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Getting Started With Parcel.js: A Web Application Bundler in 2022
    Webpack is the most popular bundler and it followed on the heels of Require.js, Rollup, and similar solutions. But the learning curve for a tool like webpack is steep. Getting started with webpack isn’t easy due to its complex configurations. As a result, in recent years another solution has emerged. This tool is not necessarily a front-runner, but an easier-to-digest alternative on the front-end module bundler... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • RequireJS: How to define modules that contain a single "class"?
    I have a number of JavaScript "classes" each implemented in its own JavaScript file. For development those files are loaded individually, and for production they are concatenated, but in both cases I have to manually define a loading order, making sure that B comes after A if B uses A. I am planning to use RequireJS as an implementation of CommonJS Modules/AsynchronousDefinition to solve this problem for me... Source: about 3 years ago
  • When to use Requirejs and when to use bundled javascript?
    This may be a dumb question for web guys. But I am a little confused over this. Now, I have an application where I am using a couple of Javascript files to perform different tasks. Now, I am using Javascript bundler to combine and minify all the files. So, at runtime there will be only one app.min.js file. Now, Requirejs is used to load modules or files at runtime. So, the question is if I already have all things... Source: about 3 years ago
  • JavaScript Module Formats and Tools
    AMD (Asynchronous Module Definition), is a pattern to define and consume module. It is implemented by RequireJS library. AMD provides a define function to define module, which accepts the module name, dependent modules’ names, and a factory function:. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Browserify and RequireJS, you can also consider the following products

Webpack - Webpack is a module bundler. Its main purpose is to bundle JavaScript files for usage in a browser, yet it is also capable of transforming, bundling, or packaging just about any resource or asset.

JSPM - Front End Package Manager, Frontend Development, and Javascript

Parcel - Blazing fast, zero configuration web application bundler

JSHint - New JSHint website. Anton Kovalyov Oct 1st, 2013. For the last couple of weeks I've been working on a new homepage for JSHint and today I'm proud to announce the new jshint. com! JSHint Website.

rollup.js - Rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript which compiles small pieces of code into a larger piece such as application.

SystemJS - Configurable module loader enabling dynamic ES module workflows in browsers and NodeJS.