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RailsConf 2019 -Webpacker vs Asset Pipeline by Danielle Gordon

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Have you started using Webpacker or are you still doing everything with the asset pipeline? Do you not know what to expect if you start using Webpacker? Do you even need Webpacker? See what it's like to develop and maintain a Rails app with Webpacker or with just the asset pipeline side by side.

#railsconf #confreaks

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In her talk at RailsConf 2019, Danielle Gordon explores the differences and considerations of using Webpacker versus the traditional Asset Pipeline in Rails applications. She emphasizes that the discussion is not about determining a clear 'winner' between the two, but rather understanding the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches to help developers make informed decisions based on their specific project requirements.

Key points discussed include:  
- **Overview of Asset Pipeline**: The asset pipeline is part of Rails that manages the concatenation, minification, and compression of JavaScript and CSS assets using the Sprockets gem. It simplifies the organization of assets through import statements.
- **Extensibility of Sprockets**: Developers can extend Sprockets with transformers, processors, and compressors to customize asset handling. Transformers modify file types, while processors manage how files are loaded and optimized.
- **Introduction to Webpacker**: Webpacker acts as a wrapper around Webpack, designed specifically for modern JavaScript applications. It offers an efficient way to manage JavaScript dependencies and allows for various types of files to be imported seamlessly.
- **Dependency Management**: Webpack builds a dependency graph that simplifies the organization of assets, ensuring that files are only loaded once, unlike Sprockets, which concatenates all files.
- **File Organization**: Gordon compares the organization of files within Rails applications when using Asset Pipeline and Webpacker, highlighting the placement of JavaScript, CSS, and images within the app directory structure.
- **Developing Components**: The talk illustrates how components can be created and bundled with both methods, noting that while Webpacker streamlines the process, Sprockets may require additional steps, especially with the need for dual import statements.
- **Case Study at Nipt**: Gordon shares her experience at Nipt, where the team chose a mix of both methods depending on the dynamic nature of their pages. They found success with using Rails view partials due to the static nature of many of their pages.
- **Conclusions and Recommendations**: Ultimately, Gordon suggests there isn’t a right or wrong choice. The decision to use Webpacker or Asset Pipeline should be guided by the project needs, with Webpacker being preferable for more JavaScript-heavy or single-page applications.

The presentation concludes with a reminder that both tools have their unique advantages, and understanding these allows developers to choose the best approach for their Rails applications.

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