Are we ready for javascript without a build step on the front end in 2023?
Are we ready for javascript without a build step on the front end in 2023?
On the current typescript / anti-typescript internet drama I saw someone mention javascript without a build step.
Do you think we're already there?
Last time I attempted it:
- there were too many libraries I couldn't import
- JSX (using babel) had a warning saying you shouldn't do it in the browser for production
- there was some advice against not using a bundler, because several requests for different .js files is slower and bigger than a bundled package
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It's doable and although I would best describe the dev experience as "ok", it is improving over time.
Per your bullets
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use newer module based js libraries, yes this is limiting but getting better support over time, and you still have to deal with issues cause by different library types when using a bundler
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JSX will require a build step at some point, pushing that to runtime doesn't improve anything. Instead I would favor lit html
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probably true, but I would start without and wrap a bundler around the project when it becomes necessary, smaller projects will have a negligible effect. You should benchmark the differences yourself, and if you use es modules everywhere wrapping a bundler around it will be easy.
With the above you can get all the usual niceties too: hot reloading, lazy loading, etc
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