Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Lerna VS rollup.js

Compare Lerna VS rollup.js and see what are their differences

Lerna logo Lerna

Application and Data, Libraries, and Javascript Utilities & Libraries

rollup.js logo rollup.js

Rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript which compiles small pieces of code into a larger piece such as application.
  • Lerna Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-26
  • rollup.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-09

Lerna features and specs

  • Monorepo Management
    Lerna excels at managing JavaScript projects with multiple packages in a single repository, streamlining development processes and reducing complexities associated with managing separate repositories.
  • Versioning and Publishing
    It offers powerful tools for versioning and publishing packages, automating the process of updating package versions and changelogs, which is particularly useful for maintaining multiple packages.
  • Dependency Management
    Lerna offers efficient handling of intra-repository dependencies by linking packages locally, which reduces redundant installations and improves build times.
  • Increased Collaboration
    By consolidating multiple projects into a single repository, Lerna enables better collaboration across teams, facilitating easier sharing and reuse of code.
  • Simplified Workflow
    Developers benefit from simplified workflows with consistent tooling and configurations, thus saving time and effort in package management.

Possible disadvantages of Lerna

  • Performance Overhead
    For very large projects, Lerna can introduce performance overhead, particularly in terms of bootstrapping, which may slow down development processes.
  • Complexity for Small Projects
    For smaller projects or those with fewer packages, Lerna can introduce unnecessary complexity, making it overkill for simple setups.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users or teams may face a steep learning curve due to Lernaโ€™s comprehensive set of features and configurations, requiring time to understand its workflows and conventions.
  • Tooling Integration
    Not all tools and CI/CD pipelines integrate seamlessly with Lerna, potentially requiring additional configuration or scripts to fully leverage its capabilities.
  • Limited Non-JS Support
    Lerna is primarily focused on JavaScript projects, which might limit its usefulness in polyglot environments or for teams working with multiple programming languages.

rollup.js features and specs

  • Tree Shaking
    Rollup.js performs treeshaking to eliminate dead code, resulting in smaller bundle sizes. It analyzes the dependency tree and includes only the parts of the code that are actually used.
  • Output Formats
    Supports multiple output formats including ES modules, CommonJS, AMD, UMD, and IIFE. This makes it versatile for different use cases.
  • Plugins
    Rollup.js has a rich ecosystem of plugins that extend its functionality, such as code transformation, minification, and support for various types of modules.
  • Code Splitting
    Supports code splitting, allowing you to break your code into smaller chunks that can be loaded on demand. This improves performance for larger projects.
  • Efficient Bundling
    Offers efficient bundling by removing duplicates and ensuring that each module gets included only once, which contributes to reduced bundle size.
  • Minimal Configuration
    Generally requires minimal configuration to get started, focusing on simplicity and ease of use.

Possible disadvantages of rollup.js

  • Learning Curve
    Although relatively simple to use, there is still a learning curve associated with understanding its configuration and the plugin system.
  • Initial Build Time
    The initial build time can be slower compared to some other bundlers, particularly for larger projects.
  • Limited Built-in Features
    Rollup.js focuses on being a minimalist tool, so it lacks some of the built-in features that other bundlers may have. Often, additional functionality needs to be added via plugins.
  • Plugin Compatibility
    Not all plugins work seamlessly with Rollup.js, and there may be occasional compatibility issues, especially with plugins originally designed for other bundlers.
  • Node.js Ecosystem
    While Rollup.js excels in bundling for browsers, it is not as commonly used for Node.js applications compared to other tools like Webpack.
  • Community Size
    The community size is smaller compared to other bundling tools like Webpack, which can sometimes make finding solutions to issues more challenging.

Analysis of rollup.js

Overall verdict

  • Rollup.js is a highly recommended choice for projects where ES6 modules are extensively used, and the goal is to produce compact and clean output. It's particularly beneficial for library authors aiming to provide their libraries in multiple formats.

Why this product is good

  • Rollup.js is good due to its efficient bundling process that helps in creating smaller and faster JavaScript files. It uses ES6 modules which enable better tree shaking and helps in removing unused code, leading to cleaner and more optimized builds. Additionally, Rollup has a simple and modular architecture that can be extended with plugins to support various build processes and features.

Recommended for

  • JavaScript library authors
  • Developers prioritizing ES6 module syntax
  • Projects that require efficient tree shaking
  • Those needing a customizable and streamlined bundling process

Lerna videos

ZERO HYPE?! Adidas ZX 5K Boost Lerna | Review + On Foot + Confession

More videos:

  • Review - Michaล‚ Jach - Modern Monorepo with Lerna

rollup.js videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Lerna and rollup.js)
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0
Web Application Bundler
0 0%
100% 100
Front End Package Manager
JS Build Tools
17 17%
83% 83

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Lerna and rollup.js

Lerna Reviews

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rollup.js Reviews

Rollup v. Webpack v. Parcel
Rollup provides much simpler configuration over webpack 4 and has a host of pre-configured plugins that are a breeze to incorporate into your project. Rollup's also the fastest of the build tools period.
Source: x-team.com

Social recommendations and mentions

rollup.js might be a bit more popular than Lerna. We know about 64 links to it since March 2021 and only 58 links to Lerna. 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.

Lerna mentions (58)

  • Nx Monorepo Guide: React & Node Fullstack App
    Lerna was one of the first monorepo tools, focusing on managing and publishing packages. Nx goes much further by including a full build system and more. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • EMPTY_OBJ in Inferno.Js source code.
    Coming back to render method, to locate this method in the codebase, Inferno codebase is a monorepo and is managed using lerna. You can confirm this by checking out lerna.json. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • package.json
    Monorepo Management: If managing multiple packages within a single repository, consider using tools like Lerna or Yarn Workspaces to streamline dependency management and versioning. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Monorepo Tutorial With Lerna, Storybook & Next.js
    In this tutorial, you'll learn how to build a monorepo using Lerna. Weโ€™ll be building a Next.js application which will import components from a separate package. Weโ€™ll also be using Storybook to showcase those components. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • How to Create an NPM Packages using Rollup.js + Lerna.js + Jfrog Artifactory
    Lerna.js is a popular tool for managing JavaScript projects with multiple packages, often referred to as monorepos. It simplifies the process of versioning, publishing, and managing dependencies across various packages within a single repository. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
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rollup.js mentions (64)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Lerna and rollup.js, you can also consider the following products

Turborepo - Welcome to the Turborepo documentation!

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.

Sprockets - Sprockets: Rack-based asset packaging.

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.

Bazel - Bazel is a tool that automates software builds and tests.

esbuild - An extremely fast JavaScript bundler and minifier