Are we ready for javascript without a build step on the front end in 2023? - eviltoast

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
  • kevincox@lemmy.ml
    8·
    1 year ago

    Yes. You can have reasonable load times using JS with no bundler. There are some notes though:

    1. JSX isn’t JavaScript, you will need to process these files (note: You can write React fairly reasonably without JSX).
    2. TypeScript won’t work because it isn’t JavaScript. I would only want to use raw JavaScript on the most basic of projects.
    3. A bundler/compressor is still going to reduce load times. Especially if you like lots of small files.
    4. Caching will be a nightmare if you aren’t doing version-based naming.