Les5 Sec6: Webpack as an Alternative for Yarn?

[promenox]

In Lesson5 Section6 6:47:39:
Patrick demonstrates the Yarn package manager to install solc-js JavaScript bindings for the Solidity compiler. (solc-js library helps us compile the contract byte code deployed to the EVM).

Using Yarn to add solc-js dependencies:
yarn add [email protected]

Is Webpack a workable alternative to Yarn?
Section outline from course github

[alymurtazamemon]

@PatrickAlphaC

[promenox]

Let's see if @PatrickAlphaC replies... 😋

[PatrickAlphaC]

Looks like others answered pretty well :)

[0xSanyam]

@voxelfox webpack is a build tool while yarn is a better version of npm(a package manager)

[promenox]

I agree - I can see the benefits of Yarn, a more effective way to manage our node_modules. I am debating the trade-offs of Webpack, the holistic build solution Stackshare Web Article: Webpack-vs-Yarn.

Using Webpack:

Save the service as a development module:
$npm install --save-dev solc

Save the service for workflow:
$npm install --save solc

Webpack has great build tools that are set up in a config file (these commands are prompted via terminal CLI). Additionally, it keeps track of dependencies in a neat .JSON(very similar to Yarn).

I figure setting multiple build approaches (prompted via CLI commands) can be helpful to determine unique workflows for contracts (or) web interfaces, helping to maintain productive workflows.

Are we going too deep with this? Always pleased to hear your opinions.

[0xSanyam]

Yeah man, you can go with webpack as you already said it has its own config file which helps to bundle js files etc. For the package manager you should use yarn instead of npm and for overall build tool go with webpack!

You can install webpack with yarn too

yarn add webpack --dev

[promenox]

I reckon Yarn would be redundant in the Webpack scenario. I'll look into that. 👍

[0xSanyam]

Here is a link, although it is geared towards drupal, but you may get some value from it

[promenox]

Helpful!

[krakxn]

solc-js GitHub has two ways to install it:

1: via npm: npm install solc

2: via yarn: yarn add [email protected]

Hope this helps!