rollup.js VS Snowpack

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

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rollup.js

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

Snowpack is a lightning-fast frontend build tool, designed for the modern web. Snowpack leverages JavaScript's native module system (known as ESM) to avoid unnecessary work and stay fast no matter how big your project grows.

Landing page //
2023-02-09

Landing page //
2022-11-24

rollup.js

Website: rollupjs.org
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Snowpack

Website: snowpack.dev
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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.

Snowpack features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

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

rollup.js videos

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Snowpack videos

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Thule SnowPack Review and How To Transport Skis/Snowboards

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to rollup.js and Snowpack)

rollup.js

Snowpack

Web Application Bundler

93 93%

Web Application Bundler

7% 7

Developer Tools

78 78%

Developer Tools

22% 22

JS Build Tools

92 92%

JS Build Tools

8% 8

Front End Package Manager

100 100%

Front End Package Manager

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using rollup.js and Snowpack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

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

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

Snowpack Reviews

20 Next.js Alternatives Worth Considering

To cap it off, there’s Snowpack, the modern build tool that’s rethinking how we build web applications. It’s leveraging native browser features to serve up modules only when they’re changed, cutting down on build times and streamlining the whole development process.

Source: tms-outsource.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, rollup.js seems to be a lot more popular than Snowpack. While we know about 64 links to rollup.js, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Snowpack. 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.

rollup.js mentions (64)

Everything about ESM and treeshaking
I did try rollup with terser but I saw similar results. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
Building a Web-Based Excel Editor: A Comprehensive Guide
Rollup for optimized production bundles. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
JavaScript is so redundant
Why are there so many JavaScript build tools? Gulp, Grunt, Webpack, Laravel Mix, Rollup.js, and now Vite. And these are just the ones that I've worked with. Haven't we solved this problem? And why build a new tool? Why not improve existing tools? - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
⚔️ Vite vs. Turbopack in 2025: Which One to Choose?
Vite (pronounced veet) was created by Evan You (Vue's creator) and launched in 2020. It uses native ES modules in the browser and esbuild for lightning-fast dev servers and Rollup for optimized production builds. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
Valentine’s Day Breakup: React Dumps Create React App
Vite is a modern frontend build tool used to develop fast and super efficient web applications. It serves files instantly and ensures that changes are updated immediately after they are implemented. It makes use of Rollup for optimized builds and has support for when you want to build a Javascript library (instead of a full app). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago

Snowpack mentions (2)

Is running a CommonJS runtime a viable solution for bundler-free development? Has anyone tried this?
I know there's Snowpack (though it is no longer maintained), which takes a different, a bit more complex approach. The CJS runtime approach seems way simpler, almost too good to be true? Is there something I'm missing? Source: about 3 years ago
Astro and the move to MDX
This is somewhat reminiscent of the Astro devs’ decision late last year to transition Astro from their own Snowpack platform to Vite. It wasn’t easy, but the performance win was significant. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing rollup.js and Snowpack, 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.

Vite - Next Generation Frontend Tooling

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.

Svelte - Cybernetically enhanced web apps

esbuild - An extremely fast JavaScript bundler and minifier

Hugo - Hugo is a general-purpose website framework for generating static web pages.