Get to know how to Uglify (mangling and minify) your javascript files written in javascript ES6.
Currently grunt-contrib-uglify has not yet supported ES6 syntax, therefore we need to find a way to transpile the ES6 code file to ES5 code file.
Although it’s no point uglify server-side javascript code, we will use Koa application for demo purpose and this should work for client-side script as well. We will lint the javascript file, transpile it, then uglify it.
Install modules
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Run the commands to install required modules.
npm init
npm install --save-dev grunt grunt-contrib-jshint grunt-contrib-uglify grunt-regenerator grunt-es6-transpiler load-grunt-tasks grunt-contrib-watch git+https://github.com/Zev23/grunt-express-server.git
npm install --save koa| Module | Description |
|---|---|
| grunt-contrib-jshint | Javascript linter |
| grunt-es6-transpiler | Transpile ES6 code to ES5 |
| grunt-regenerator | Facebook’s Regenerator to properly transpile generator function. |
| grunt-express-server | To start a express server. I have forked the project and add capability to run Koa server. |
| load-grunt-tasks | Convenient grunt task module loader |
The Application (app.js)
//app.js
"use strict";
const
app = require("koa")(),
port = 3000;
//Logger
app.use(function *(next){
let start = new Date();
yield next;
let ms = new Date() - start;
console.log("%s %s - %s", this.method, this.url, ms);
});
app.use(function *(){
this.body = "Hello World";
});
app.listen(port, function() {
console.log("Server listening at %s", port);
});The script file uses ES6 features such as generator and let.
gruntfile.js
module.exports = function(grunt){
"use strict";
require("load-grunt-tasks")(grunt);
grunt.initConfig({
express: {
svr:{
options : {
script: "./app.min.js",
opts: ["--harmony"]
}
}
},
jshint: {
files: ["app.js"],
options: {
"curly": true,
"eqeqeq": true,
"undef": true,
"unused": "vars",
"esnext":true,
"devel":true,
"node":true,
"noyield":true
}
},
es6transpiler: {
dist: {
files: {
"app.trans.js": "app.js"
}
}
},
regenerator: {
options: {
includeRuntime: true
},
dist: {
files: {
"app.es5.js": "app.trans.js"
}
}
},
uglify: {
main: {
files: {
"app.min.js":["app.es5.js"]
}
},
options: {
mangle:{toplevel:true},
sourceMap: true,
sourceMapName: "app.js.map",
sourceMapIncludeSources: true,
compress:true
}
},
watch: {
all: {
files:["app.js"],
tasks:["jshint","es6transpiler","regenerator","uglify", "express:svr"],
options:{
spawn:false
}
}
}
});
grunt.registerTask("default", ["jshint","es6transpiler","regenerator","uglify", "express:svr", "watch"]);
};- First we load all the grunt tasks module using
load-grunt-tasks. - Then we
initConfigthose tasks:
express: Fromgrunt-express-server, this will configure start the server from grunt.jshint: Lint javascript file. For server-side and ES6 code, few options must be enabled:
- esnext: To check ES6 syntax
- devel: To suppress message on globals like “console”.
- node: To suppress node server globals like “require”.
- noyield: To allow generator function without yield.
es6transpiler: Transpile ES6 code to ES5 code. Till this stage the transpile of generator is not working. Generator syntaxfunction *()still can be seen and UglifyJS won’t work with it.regenerator: Base on above issue, Regenerator is used to overcome it.uglify: Mangle and minify the script file.watch: Restart server when app.js changed. The tasks will rerun everything from jshint till server restart.
- Register default task.
Run grunt
Run the application.
gruntYou can run individual task as well:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
grunt jshint |
Run linter to check app.js |
grunt es6transpiler |
Transpile and output app.trans.js |
grunt regenerator |
Input: app.trans.js. Output: app.es5.js |
grunt uglify |
Input: app.es5.js. Output: app.min.js |
grunt express:svr |
Start the server |
The bottom line is UglifyJS cannot accept ES6 code file as input yet. Therefore if it can successfully compiled, then we got ES6 code file successfully transpiled.
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