Target
Webpack can compile for multiple environments or targets. To understand what a target is in detail, read through the targets concept page.
target
string [string] false
Instructs webpack to target a specific environment. Defaults to 'browserslist' or to 'web' when no browserslist configuration was found.
string
The following string values are supported via WebpackOptionsApply:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
async-node[[X].Y] | Compile for usage in a Node.js-like environment (uses fs and vm to load chunks asynchronously) |
electron[[X].Y]-main | Compile for Electron for main process. |
electron[[X].Y]-renderer | Compile for Electron for renderer process, providing a target using JsonpTemplatePlugin, FunctionModulePlugin for browser environments and NodeTargetPlugin and ExternalsPlugin for CommonJS and Electron built-in modules. |
electron[[X].Y]-preload | Compile for Electron for renderer process, providing a target using NodeTemplatePlugin with asyncChunkLoading set to true, FunctionModulePlugin for browser environments and NodeTargetPlugin and ExternalsPlugin for CommonJS and Electron built-in modules. |
node[[X].Y] | Compile for usage in a Node.js-like environment (uses Node.js require to load chunks) |
node-webkit[[X].Y] | Compile for usage in WebKit and uses JSONP for chunk loading. Allows importing of built-in Node.js modules and nw.gui (experimental) |
nwjs[[X].Y] | The same as node-webkit |
web | Compile for usage in a browser-like environment (default) |
webworker | Compile as WebWorker |
esX | Compile for specified ECMAScript version. Examples: es5, es2020. |
browserslist | Infer a platform and the ES-features from a browserslist-config (default if browserslist config is available) |
For example, when the target is set to "electron-main", webpack includes multiple electron specific variables.
A version of node or electron may be optionally specified. This is denoted by the [[X].Y] in the table above.
webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
// ...
target: 'node12.18',
};It helps determinate ES-features that may be used to generate a runtime-code (all the chunks and modules are wrapped by runtime code).
browserslist
If a project has a browserslist config, then webpack will use it for:
- Determinate ES-features that may be used to generate a runtime-code.
- Infer an environment (e.g:
last 2 node versionsthe same astarget: "node"with someoutput.environmentsettings).
Supported browserslist values:
browserslist- use automatically resolved browserslist config and environment (from the nearestpackage.jsonorBROWSERSLISTenvironment variable, see browserslist documentation for details)browserslist:modern- usemodernenvironment from automatically resolved browserslist configbrowserslist:last 2 versions- use an explicit browserslist query (config will be ignored)browserslist:/path/to/config- explicitly specify browserslist configbrowserslist:/path/to/config:modern- explicitly specify browserslist config and an environment
[string]
When multiple targets are passed, then common subset of features will be used:
webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
// ...
target: ['web', 'es5'],
};Webpack will generate a runtime code for web platform and will use only ES5 features.
Not all targets may be mixed for now.
webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
// ...
target: ['web', 'node'],
};Will cause an error. Webpack does not support universal target for now.
false
Set target to false if none of the predefined targets from the list above meet your needs, no plugins will be applied.
webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
// ...
target: false,
};Or you can apply specific plugins you want:
webpack.config.js
const webpack = require('webpack');
module.exports = {
// ...
target: false,
plugins: [
new webpack.web.JsonpTemplatePlugin(options.output),
new webpack.LoaderTargetPlugin('web'),
],
};When no information about the target or the environment features is provided, then ES2015 will be used.
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