Modernize your build tooling
Operational guides for modernizing frontend build and test tooling: Webpack vs Vite, Webpack-to-Vite migration, Jest-to-Vitest migration, and fixing Vite build errors.
Last verified · Updated May 22, 2026
Frontend build tooling is moving from eager bundlers (Webpack, Jest) toward native-ESM, esbuild-powered tools (Vite, Vitest). The payoff is a near-instant dev server and faster tests; the cost is CommonJS-to-ESM friction. These guides cover the choice and the migration.
What this covers
Start with the Webpack vs Vite comparison to decide whether to switch at all. If you are switching, follow the Webpack-to-Vite path for the bundler and the Jest-to-Vitest path for the test runner — they are independent moves and can be sequenced separately. The fix-Vite-build-errors workflow handles the issues that surface once you flip the switch.
The two migrations
- Webpack -> Vite: replace eager bundling with a native-ESM dev server and a Rollup production build.
- Jest -> Vitest: reuse a Jest-compatible API on top of Vite's transform pipeline, sharing one config.
Version timeline
- Jest 29activereleased 2022-08-25
- Webpack 5activereleased 2020-10-10
- Vite 5currentactivereleased 2023-11-16
- Vitest 2activereleased 2024-07-01
Build-tool migration paths
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to migrate the bundler and the test runner together?
No. Webpack-to-Vite and Jest-to-Vitest are independent. Many teams move the dev server to Vite first, then adopt Vitest later to share a single config. Either order works.