How to Set Up Webpack Dev Server?

11 minutes read

To set up webpack dev server, first install webpack and webpack dev server packages using npm or yarn. Then, create a webpack configuration file (usually named webpack.config.js) that specifies the entry point of your application and the output file. In the configuration file, also include a devServer object that specifies the port on which the server will run and the content base directory. Next, add a script in your package.json file to start the webpack dev server using the command 'webpack-dev-server --open'. Finally, run the script in the terminal to start the webpack dev server and navigate to the specified port in your browser to view your application running in development mode.

Best Javascript Books to Read in October 2024

1
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide: Master the World's Most-Used Programming Language

Rating is 5 out of 5

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide: Master the World's Most-Used Programming Language

2
JavaScript from Beginner to Professional: Learn JavaScript quickly by building fun, interactive, and dynamic web apps, games, and pages

Rating is 4.9 out of 5

JavaScript from Beginner to Professional: Learn JavaScript quickly by building fun, interactive, and dynamic web apps, games, and pages

3
JavaScript Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming

Rating is 4.8 out of 5

JavaScript Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming

4
Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming

Rating is 4.7 out of 5

Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming

  • It can be a gift option
  • Comes with secure packaging
  • It is made up of premium quality material.
5
JavaScript All-in-One For Dummies

Rating is 4.6 out of 5

JavaScript All-in-One For Dummies

6
Learning JavaScript Design Patterns: A JavaScript and React Developer's Guide

Rating is 4.5 out of 5

Learning JavaScript Design Patterns: A JavaScript and React Developer's Guide

7
JavaScript and jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development

Rating is 4.4 out of 5

JavaScript and jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development

  • JavaScript Jquery
  • Introduces core programming concepts in JavaScript and jQuery
  • Uses clear descriptions, inspiring examples, and easy-to-follow diagrams
8
Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery Set

Rating is 4.3 out of 5

Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery Set

  • Brand: Wiley
  • Set of 2 Volumes
  • A handy two-book set that uniquely combines related technologies Highly visual format and accessible language makes these books highly effective learning tools Perfect for beginning web designers and front-end developers
9
Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide

Rating is 4.2 out of 5

Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide

10
Murach's Modern JavaScript: Beginner to Pro

Rating is 4.1 out of 5

Murach's Modern JavaScript: Beginner to Pro


How to change the port for webpack dev server?

To change the port for webpack dev server, you can specify the port when starting the server using the --port flag.


For example, to start webpack dev server on port 8000, you can use the following command:

1
webpack-dev-server --port 8000


Alternatively, you can also specify the port in your webpack.config.js file by adding a devServer configuration object with the port property set to the desired port number:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
module.exports = {
  // other webpack configurations...

  devServer: {
    port: 8000
  }
};


After making these changes, you can run webpack dev server and it will start on the specified port.


What is the history API fallback in webpack dev server?

The history API fallback in webpack dev server is a feature that allows the server to serve a single HTML file (usually the index.html) for all routes, regardless of the actual URL path. This is useful for applications that use client-side routing, as it ensures that users can navigate to different routes within the application without receiving a 404 error.


When a request is made to a route that does not exist on the server, the history API fallback will serve the index.html file instead. This allows the client-side routing to take over and display the appropriate content for the requested route.


The history API fallback can be configured in the webpack dev server configuration by setting the "historyApiFallback" option to true. This will enable the fallback behavior for all routes that do not exist on the server. Additionally, the "rewrites" option can be used to specify custom fallback behavior for specific routes.


Overall, the history API fallback in webpack dev server helps to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for client-side routing in applications during development.


How to configure public path in webpack dev server?

To configure the public path in webpack dev server, you can use the publicPath option in your webpack configuration file. This option specifies the public URL of the output directory when generated files are referenced in a browser. Here's how you can configure the public path in webpack dev server:

  1. Open your webpack configuration file (usually webpack.config.js).
  2. Add the publicPath option to the output section of your webpack configuration. For example:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
module.exports = {
  // other webpack configuration options
  output: {
    publicPath: '/',
    // other output options
  },
  // other webpack configuration options
};


In this example, the publicPath is set to /, which means that all generated files will be referenced at the root of the server. You can set it to a different path as per your requirements.

  1. Start your webpack dev server with the updated configuration file:
1
webpack-dev-server --config webpack.config.js


Now, the public path in webpack dev server has been configured according to your specified publicPath option.


How to enable gzip compression in webpack dev server?

To enable Gzip compression in webpack dev server, you can add the following configuration to your webpack configuration file:

1
2
3
4
5
6
module.exports = {
  devServer: {
    compress: true, // Enable Gzip compression
    port: 8080 // Specify the port number for webpack dev server
  },
};


By setting compress: true, webpack dev server will automatically compress the content using Gzip before sending it to the browser. This can help reduce the size of the files being transferred over the network, resulting in faster loading times for your application.


How to set the client log level in webpack dev server?

To set the client log level in webpack dev server, you can use the clientLogLevel configuration option in your webpack configuration file.

  1. Open your webpack.config.js file.
  2. Add the devServer option if it's not already present, or modify it if it is.
  3. Add the clientLogLevel option to set the desired log level. The available log levels are none, error, warning and info.


Here is an example of setting the client log level to error:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
module.exports = {
  // other webpack configuration options
  devServer: {
    // other dev server options
    clientLogLevel: 'error'
  }
};


Save your webpack configuration file and restart the webpack dev server for the changes to take effect. Now the client log level will be set to the specified level.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Whatsapp Pocket

Related Posts:

To set up webpack to work with React, you need to first install webpack and webpack-cli by running npm install webpack webpack-cli --save-dev in your project directory. Then, you need to create a webpack configuration file (webpack.config.js) where you specify...
Hot Module Replacement (HMR) is a powerful tool that allows developers to make changes to their code without having to reload the entire page. To configure webpack for HMR, you will need to make a few adjustments to your webpack configuration file.First, you w...
To integrate webpack with Vue.js, you will first need to install webpack and webpack-cli as dev dependencies in your project. Next, you will need to create a webpack configuration file, usually named webpack.config.js, where you define how webpack should handl...