The Hidden Cost of Web Development
As developers, we’re all too familiar with the frustration of waiting for our code to compile and rebuild every time we make a change. But have you ever stopped to think about just how much time we’re wasting on this process?
The Problem with Bundlers
With the rise of web bundlers like webpack and Parcel, web development has become increasingly complex. Every time we make a change, we’re forced to wait for entire sections of our application to rebuild. It’s a productivity killer, and it’s costing us dearly.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
I recently conducted an experiment to quantify just how much time we’re wasting on bundlers. The results were staggering. On average, a developer can spend up to an hour per week waiting for their code to rebuild. That’s a lot of lost productivity.
Reclaiming Your Time
But what if I told you there’s a way to reclaim that lost time? By ditching the bundler and embracing modern “unbundled” development, you can say goodbye to slow startups and momentum-killing bundle rebuilds.
The Future of Web Development
So, how does it work? It’s surprisingly simple. With the advent of native ES Modules (ESM) syntax, we can now import and export JavaScript natively using the type="module" script attribute. This means we can load our entire application without a single line of additional tooling or configuration.
Minimum Viable Build Tooling
Of course, there are some limitations to unbundled development. For example, browsers don’t yet support importing by package name, and many npm packages require a Node.js-like environment to run. But with the right tools, such as serve and @pika/web, we can overcome these hurdles and build fast, modern web applications without a bundler.
Redefining the Bundler
So, what’s the solution? Instead of using a bundler to compile our entire application, we can focus on solving the problem of npm packages not running in the browser. This means we can use a tool like @pika/web to install npm packages into a single JavaScript file that runs in the browser. It’s a game-changer.
Pika in Action
Want to see it in action? With @pika/web, we can install the smaller ESM alternative to React, Preact, and use it directly in the browser without a build step. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s the future of web development.
The Best of Both Worlds
Of course, there are still some limitations to unbundled development. But with the right approach, we can have the best of both worlds: a fast, local dev environment that lets us iterate quickly, and a slower production build pipeline powered by webpack or Parcel that targets older browsers.
The Future is Simple
In conclusion, the future of web development is all about simplicity. With projects like Pika and tools like @pika/web, we’re giving developers the choice to ditch the bundler and focus on what really matters: building fast, modern web applications. Join the movement today!