Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Webpack VS JSPM

Compare Webpack VS JSPM and see what are their differences

Webpack logo 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 logo JSPM

Front End Package Manager, Frontend Development, and Javascript
  • Webpack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13
  • JSPM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-07

Webpack features and specs

  • Modular Bundling
    Webpack efficiently bundles all your modules (JavaScript, CSS, images, etc.) into manageable chunks, minimizing HTTP requests and enhancing load performance.
  • Code Splitting
    It allows splitting your codebase into 'chunks' which can be loaded on demand. This leads to faster initial page loads as only necessary chunks are loaded initially.
  • Hot Module Replacement (HMR)
    HMR allows you to update modules without needing a full refresh. This improves development speed and efficiency as live changes are instantly reflected in the application.
  • Advanced Configuration
    Webpack is highly configurable, accommodating various needs from simple setups to complex, custom configurations, making it versatile for different projects.
  • Strong Plugin Ecosystem
    There is a rich ecosystem of plugins available to extend Webpack's capabilities, such as minification, asset management, and more.
  • Tree Shaking
    Webpack supports tree shaking, a method to eliminate dead code from your bundle, resulting in more efficient, smaller output files.
  • Dependency Management
    It handles dependencies among modules effectively, automatically managing module load order and avoiding conflicts.

Possible disadvantages of Webpack

  • Complex Configuration
    Its extensive configuration options can be overwhelming, particularly for beginners, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Build Time
    Complex configurations and large projects can result in slower build times, impacting development speed.
  • Documentation Issues
    Despite improvements, there are instances where Webpack's documentation might lack clarity, making it harder to find solutions for specific configurations.
  • Overhead for Simple Projects
    For small and simple projects, Webpack might be overkill, adding unnecessary complexity and setup time.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Occasionally, Webpack updates can lead to breaking changes, which may require significant adjustments to your configuration and codebase.

JSPM features and specs

  • Modern JavaScript Support
    JSPM provides support for ES modules and modern JavaScript features, allowing developers to use the latest standards in their projects.
  • Dependency Management
    JSPM offers efficient dependency management by automatically resolving and managing package versions, which reduces conflicts and simplifies updates.
  • CDN Integration
    JSPM integrates with CDN services to enable direct module imports from URLs, reducing setup complexity and enhancing performance by leveraging distributed content delivery networks.
  • Ecosystem Compatibility
    JSPM is compatible with npm packages, allowing developers to access a wide range of libraries and tools available in the npm ecosystem.
  • Pluggable Build System
    JSPM includes a pluggable build system that can be customized and extended to suit different workflow requirements and optimizations.

Possible disadvantages of JSPM

  • Learning Curve
    For developers new to JSPM, there might be a steeper learning curve due to its unique features and configurations compared to more traditional package managers.
  • Limited Community Support
    JSPM may have a smaller community compared to established tools like Webpack or Parcel, potentially leading to fewer resources or community-driven plugins.
  • Complexity for Small Projects
    For small or simple projects, JSPM might introduce unnecessary complexity compared to lighter alternatives, which could be more straightforward for basic use cases.
  • Performance Overhead
    Depending on the project setup and usage, there might be some performance overhead during the initial setup or builds, particularly for very large projects.
  • Dependency on External Services
    Relying heavily on external CDNs and services can lead to potential issues if those services experience downtime or changes in policy.

Webpack videos

Learn Webpack - Full Tutorial for Beginners

More videos:

  • Review - Core Concepts of Webpack
  • Review - Learn Webpack Pt. 6: Cache Busting and Plugins

JSPM videos

JSPM Engineering College Pune Honest Review | Cut-OFF | Placement | Fees | Campus | Student Reviews

More videos:

  • Review - JSPM PUNE | COLLEGE FEE| HOSTEL FEE | PLACEMENT | RANKING | CUT OFF | CAMPUS | JSPM COLLEGE REVIEW
  • Review - JSPM BSIOTR FE Computer students review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Webpack and JSPM)
Web Application Bundler
JS Build Tools
86 86%
14% 14
Front End Package Manager
Developer Tools
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 Webpack and JSPM

Webpack Reviews

Rollup v. Webpack v. Parcel
Tool Prod Build Time One Prod Build Time Two Prod Build Time Three Prod Build Time Avg Parcel 738.509 s 35.364 s 35.592 s 269.82 avg s Rollup 0.712 s 0.665 s 0.714 s 0.697 avg s Webpack 3.636 s 3.805 s 4.305 s 3.915 avg s
Source: x-team.com
If you’ve ever configured Webpack, Parcel will blow your mind!
document.body.className = document.body.className.replace(/(^|\s)is-noJs(\s|$)/, "$1is-js$2")HomepageHomepageJavascriptBecome a memberSign inGet startedIf you’ve ever configured Webpack, Parcel will blow your mind!And how to hit the ground running with Parcel.Ibrahim ButtBlockedUnblockFollowFollowingMar 16, 2018Click here to share this article on LinkedIn »Zero...
Source: medium.com
First impressions with Parcel JS
From first impressions and experience, my take currently would be as follows. Webpack is generally going to be more flexible. It also places a bit more power in the developers hands to make bundling happen exactly as desired. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use Parcel though. Where Parcel excels is the fact you don’t configure it. You will still need to configure plugins for...
Source: codeburst.io
Parcel vs webpack - Jakob Lind
Webpack is the stable choice. You will not get fired for picking webpack. But you don’t get as much stuff for free such as optimized bundles, and code splitting.

JSPM Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Webpack seems to be a lot more popular than JSPM. While we know about 243 links to Webpack, we've tracked only 2 mentions of JSPM. 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.

Webpack mentions (243)

  • Dark Souls CRUD Arena - The Prisoner Approach
    To then serve to the browser. If I was using something like Vite or Webpack I would have gotten this handling for free. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • You Don’t Know JS Yet: My Weekly Journey Through JavaScript Mastery
    The JS code gets transpiled by tools like Babel, then bundled (often by Webpack) into a single or few files (like bundle.js). This optimizes the website to load faster, as the browser can fetch everything from one file instead of multiple. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Webpack 5: The Next Generation Module Bundler
    Remember that Webpack is highly configurable, and this article only scratches the surface of what's possible. Be sure to check the official Webpack documentation for more detailed information and advanced configurations. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Discover the power of microfrontends: A revolution in frontend development
    With Webpack 5, a new feature has helped microfrontends proliferate: Module Federation. Module Federation allows JavaScript code to be loaded — synchronously or asynchronously — at runtime. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Which JavaScript Bundler Is Right for You? A Deep Dive into Webpack, Vite, and More
    Webpack is one of the oldest and most widely used bundlers in web development, created by Tobias Koppers in 2012. It gained popularity after Browserify and RequireJS and has become the go-to choice for managing complex projects. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

JSPM mentions (2)

  • Big Changes Ahead for Deno
    > We've been working on some updates that will allow Deno to easily import npm packages and make the vast majority of npm packages work in Deno within the next three months. This is really huge and will be a huge boost to the Deno ecosystem. On the other hand, I quite enjoyed that it wasn't jacked into NPM. There were reasonable alternatives like https://jspm.org/. This is a big swing at Node and I'll be watching... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • 5 More Things I Learned Building Snowpack to 20,000 Stars
    But I really want to make it clear that I'm so incredibly proud of this project and the people who have contributed to it. Snowpack meaningfully pushed the entire web development industry forward, and that's pretty cool. Even if you never use Snowpack directly, the work that we pioneered around npm package handling for ESM is already being built on and improved on across the entire web tooling landscape in... - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Webpack and JSPM, you can also consider the following products

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

Ender - Frontend Development

Parcel - Blazing fast, zero configuration web application bundler

RequireJS - RequireJS is a JavaScript file and module loader.

Babel - Babel is a compiler for writing next generation JavaScript.

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.