using webpack on server side of nodejs

Question

I\'ve been trying to use webpack with a nodejs application, and the client side is going fine - a reasonably good documentation on their website + links from google search.

Answer 1

A real example with webpack 2.x

I want to highlight the difference from client side config:

1. target: 'node'

2. externals: [nodeExternals()]

for node.js, it doesn't make much sense to bundle node_modules/

3. output.libraryTarget: 'commonjs2'

without this, you cannot require('your-library')

webpack.config.js

import nodeExternals from 'webpack-node-externals'

const config = {
  target: 'node',
  externals: [nodeExternals()],
  entry: {
    'src/index': './src/index.js',
    'test/index': './test/index.js'
  },
  output: {
    path: __dirname,
    filename: '[name].bundle.js',
    libraryTarget: 'commonjs2'
  },
  module: {
    rules: [{
      test: /\.js$/,
      use: {
        loader: 'babel-loader',
        options: {
          presets: [
            ['env', {
              'targets': {
                'node': 'current'
              }
            }]
          ]
        }
      }
    }]
  }
}

export default [config]

Answer 2

Here is the webpack configuration I have used to in my Nodejs application when I wanted it to read JSX which as you know, Node cannot do.

const path = require('path');

module.exports = {
  // inform webpack that I am building a bundle for nodejs rather than for the
  // browser
  target: 'node',

  // tell webpack the root file of my server application
  entry: './src/index.js',

  // tells webpack where to put the output file generated
  output: {
    filename: 'bundle.js',
    path: path.resolve(__dirname, 'build')
  },

  // tells webpack to run babel on every file it runs through
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: /\.js$/,
        loader: 'babel-loader',
        exclude: /node_modules/,
        options: {
          presets: [
            'react',
            'stage-0',
            ['env', { targets: { browsers: ['last 2 versions'] } }]
          ]
        }
      }
    ]
  }
};

After you implement this though, don't forget to head over to your package.json file and include this script:

{
  "name": "react-ssr",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Server side rendering project",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "dev:build:server": "webpack --config webpack.server.js"
  },

Answer 3

This might be useful: http://jlongster.com/Backend-Apps-with-Webpack--Part-I

Key point is to make external all third party module (in node_modules directory) in webpack config file

Final config file

var webpack = require('webpack');
var path = require('path');
var fs = require('fs');

var nodeModules = {};
fs.readdirSync('node_modules')
  .filter(function(x) {
    return ['.bin'].indexOf(x) === -1;
  })
  .forEach(function(mod) {
    nodeModules[mod] = 'commonjs ' + mod;
  });

module.exports = {
  entry: './src/main.js',
  target: 'node',
  output: {
    path: path.join(__dirname, 'build'),
    filename: 'backend.js'
  },
  externals: nodeModules,
  plugins: [
    new webpack.IgnorePlugin(/\.(css|less)$/),
    new webpack.BannerPlugin('require("source-map-support").install();',
                             { raw: true, entryOnly: false })
  ],
  devtool: 'sourcemap'
}