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Webpack VS SystemJS

Compare Webpack VS SystemJS and see what are their differences

Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

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.

SystemJS logo SystemJS

Configurable module loader enabling dynamic ES module workflows in browsers and NodeJS.
  • Webpack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13
  • SystemJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-06

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.

SystemJS features and specs

  • Universal Module Loader
    SystemJS supports loading modules in various formats, such as AMD, CommonJS, and ES modules, providing versatility in deploying applications with different module specifications.
  • Dynamic Imports
    SystemJS enables dynamic loading of modules, which allows for lazy loading of parts of applications. This can lead to performance improvements by asynchronously loading only the necessary parts of your application.
  • Compatibility
    SystemJS provides compatibility across different JavaScript environments, making it a suitable choice for projects that require running code on both browsers and Node.js.
  • Extensibility
    With a plugin system that lets developers extend its capabilities, SystemJS can be customized to handle specific loading scenarios or integrate more seamlessly with different build processes or frameworks.

Possible disadvantages of SystemJS

  • Complexity
    The flexibility and extensive feature set of SystemJS can introduce complexity in configurations and require a learning curve for new developers, particularly with its extensive plugin ecosystem.
  • Performance Overhead
    Because SystemJS is a global loader, it introduces additional runtime overhead compared to using native ES modules or simpler bundling solutions, which might impact performance.
  • Reduced Relevance with ES Modules
    With the native support for ES modules in modern browsers, the need for SystemJS has decreased, as developers can often achieve the desired module functionality with built-in browser capabilities.
  • Complex Debugging
    SystemJS's dynamic loading and transformations can make debugging more challenging, as developers may struggle with source mapping or understanding how modules are resolved.

Webpack videos

+ Add

Learn Webpack - Full Tutorial for Beginners

More videos:

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

SystemJS videos

+ Add

Javascript Tutorial - SystemJS intro

More videos:

  • Review - Learn Angular 2 in 21 Days: Day 2 Layout, SystemJS and Components

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Webpack and SystemJS)

Webpack

SystemJS

Web Application Bundler
94 94%
Web Application Bundler
6% 6
JS Build Tools
92 92%
JS Build Tools
8% 8
Developer Tools
100 100%
Developer Tools
0% 0
Front End Package Manager
0 0%
Front End Package Manager
100% 100

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 SystemJS

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.
Source: blog.jakoblind.no

SystemJS Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Webpack seems to be a lot more popular than SystemJS. While we know about 243 links to Webpack, we've tracked only 4 mentions of SystemJS. 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

SystemJS mentions (4)

  • Integrate Web Component/MFE with plain static HTML
    Using the SystemJS library, we can seamlessly integrate a web component or MFE, or even import any module at runtime. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Rails upgrade to angular 2
    I would like to upgrade my existing Rails and Angular 1.x application. I'm following the ng-upgrade documentation and seeing that there are many dependencies including systemjs, typescript, tsd and a few other javascript libraries. Ideally there would be a angular-2 gem that would have all the dependencies but I'm not able to find that. Next I looked for gem's for each dependency but there isn't one for tsd. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Modern SPAs without bundlers, CDNs, or Node.js
    There's also https://github.com/systemjs/systemjs if you want more of a ponyfill approach. FWIW bundlers also don't use the browser's functionality to load modules... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • JS Modules
    A module loader interprets and loads a module written in a certain module format at runtime. Popular examples are RequireJS and SystemJS. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Webpack and SystemJS, 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.

RequireJS - RequireJS is a JavaScript file and module loader.

Parcel - Blazing fast, zero configuration web application bundler

Qoopido.demand - Browser only, promise like and extremely lightweight module loader using XHR/XDR requests and localStorage caching to dynamically load JavaScript modules, JSON, HTML, CSS, text and Bundles (single script containing multiple concatenated modules) wit…

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

stealjs - Futuristic JavaScript dependency loader and builder. Speeds up application load times. Works with ES6, CommonJS, AMD, CSS, LESS and more. Simplifies modular workflows.

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