Build Tools for Developers

The code used in the production and development of a software or system is separate. We must handle dependencies, automate processes, load external modules, and other duties in production. Build tools are available to help with those chores. Programs called build tools automate the process of turning source code into executable applications. Build tools are devices that enable the integration of development and production code.

Types of Build Tools

· Package Manager

· Task Runners

· Module Bundlers

Package Managers

A package manager is a software tool or system that automates the process of installing, updating, configuring and removing software packages. Package managers are classified into two types. There are package managers for operating systems and package managers for languages.

1. operating system based package managers.

Windows — Windows package manager, Ninite, Chocolatey

MacOS — Homebrew, MacPorts,

Linux — yum, Snappy, APT

2. language-based package managers

Language-based package managers are a tool to create project environments and easily import external dependencies. Each language often has its package manager tailored to the needs and conventions of that language’s community. Here are some examples of language-based package managers.

1. Java

I. Maven

· Maven is the industry standard.

· C#, Ruby, Scala, and other programming languages can all be used with Maven to create and maintain projects.

II. Gradle

· It offers a more flexible and customizable approach to building and managing software projects.

· It manages every step of the development process, from testing, deployment, and publishing through compilation and packaging

· Supported languages include Kotlin, groovy, Scala, C/C++, and JavaScript

2. Python

I. Pip

· It simplifies the process of managing dependencies and allows developers to integrate third-party libraries and modules into their Python projects easily.

· It connects to the Python package index, a repository of public and paid-for private packages.

· widely used for software development, data analysis, and scientific computing

II. Conda

· Conda can be installed as a standalone package manager or as part of the Anaconda or Miniconda distribution.

· It is a valuable tool for data science, scientific computing, and software development projects.

· Conda packages work with more than just Python software. They could also include R packages, C or C++ libraries, or any other program.

3. PHP

I. Composer

· Composer simplifies the management of PHP dependencies.

· The composer can automatically resolve and install the necessary packages and their dependencies based on the information in the composer.json file.

4. JavaScript

I. NPM

· Default package manager of Node.js

· Npm is automatically installed when installing node.js

· May execute a single command to install any node.js package

II. Yarn

· An alternative to npm for frontend package management

· Yarn accelerates the build process by catching every package so that dependencies don’t have to be downloaded again.

Task runners

Task runners are automation tools commonly used in software development to automate repetitive tasks and streamline various aspects of the development workflow. Task runners are mainly used with JavaScript. Run commands for you that would otherwise be tedious or impossible. They do things like your code from SCSS to CSS or TypeScript to JavaScript. They also copy files from location to location, minifying files, running lines, and serving files from a local computer port

1. Grunt

· Frontend task runner that enables the automation of repetitive tasks like testing, linting, and minification, among others

· Grunt is a node js package. You can install it using npm, yarn, or pnpm.

2. Gulp

· Another automated task runner and grunt’s main competitor.

· Like grunt, gulp may be used to automate recurrent frontend activities like CSS preprocessing, auto prefixing, and image optimization.

Module bundlers

A module bundler is a tool that combines dependent pieces of JavaScript into a single file, typically for use in a browser. It helps you to load your assets in dependency order, image assets, CSS assets, etc.. This bundling process helps optimize web applications for performance and reduces the number of HTTP requests made to the server.

1. Browserify

· Browserify was one of the first JavaScript module bundlers and is still used today.

· You can bundle your frontend dependencies and load them as a single javascript file in the user’s browser using the Node.js module loader.

· Browserify makes a required method available on the client side, which could significantly improve performance.

2. Webpack

· One of the most popular module bundlers in contemporary web development is Webpack.

· It can bundle JavaScript and other assets like CSS, images, and fonts.

· Webpack supports a rich ecosystem of plugins and loaders to handle various tasks, making it highly configurable and extensible.

· Additionally, Webpack may include AMD and native ECMAScript modules.

3. Parcel

· Parcel is a quick and zero-config web application bundler. It seeks to make the setup more accessible and offer a seamless development environment.

· It supports many asset types, including JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and more.

4. ESbuild

· ESbuild is an extremely fast and lightweight JavaScript bundler and minifier

· While it may not have as many features as Webpack or Rollup, it excels in simple bundling tasks and is gaining popularity for its speed.

These tools are not mere utilities but essential companions on your journey to crafting modern, efficient, and maintainable software applications. As the development landscape changes, these build tools will adapt to new technologies and industry best practices. Staying informed about the latest developments in build tools is not just a recommendation but a necessity.