Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

rollup.js VS Superplate

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

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.

Superplate logo Superplate

The frontend boilerplate with superpowers
  • rollup.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-09
  • Superplate Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

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.

Superplate features and specs

  • Modular Structure
    Superplate provides a modular and extensible structure, which allows developers to easily add or remove technologies and tools as needed, enabling flexibility in project customization.
  • Wide Technology Support
    Superplate supports a broad range of technologies including React, Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and many others, offering a comprehensive toolkit for modern web development.
  • Boilerplate Generation
    It assists in quickly generating a boilerplate, thereby reducing the initial setup time for projects and allowing developers to focus on building features rather than setting up the development environment.
  • Active Community
    With an active community and regular updates, Superplate keeps up with the latest trends and practices in the development community, providing users with current information and support.

Possible disadvantages of Superplate

  • Learning Curve
    For beginners, the extensive set of tools and configurations may present a steep learning curve, requiring time to understand how to effectively use each component.
  • Overhead for Small Projects
    For smaller projects or simpler applications, the comprehensive setup and features of Superplate may introduce unnecessary overhead, making it less efficient compared to using simpler setups.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing the wide array of dependencies and keeping them up to date can become challenging, particularly as project complexity increases.
  • Customization Complexity
    Though designed to be flexible, highly customizing the template to meet very specific project needs may require a deeper understanding of the configuration and underlying technologies.

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to rollup.js and Superplate)
Web Application Bundler
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
45 45%
55% 55
JS Build Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Tech
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using rollup.js and Superplate. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

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

Superplate Reviews

We have no reviews of Superplate yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, rollup.js should be more popular than Superplate. It has been mentiond 62 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.

rollup.js mentions (62)

  • 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 / 7 days 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 / 10 days 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 / 2 months ago
  • Advanced Guide to Using Vite with React in 2025
    In 2025, mastering Vite for your React projects means leveraging powerful configurations, intelligent optimizations, and a robust plugin ecosystem. By understanding Vite’s modern architecture—native ES modules (ESM) during development and optimized Rollup bundling for production—you can significantly streamline your workflow, improve developer experience, and deliver fast, performant applications at scale. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Optimizing React Development with Vite🤩.
    6. Production-Ready Code Vite uses Rollup for production builds, which optimizes the code by bundling it efficiently, performing tree shaking, and minifying JavaScript. This results in smaller, optimized production builds that are ready for deployment. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

Superplate mentions (11)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing rollup.js and Superplate, 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.

Refine - A React Framework for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards & B2B apps with unmatched flexibilty.

Parcel - Blazing fast, zero configuration web application bundler

Pingy CLI - Making Modern Websites Should Be Easier. Pingy is Here To Help.

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.

React Admin - A frontend Framework for building B2B applications running in the browser on top of REST/GraphQL APIs, using ES6, React and Material Design