Tree Shaking

Tree shaking is a modern JavaScript optimization technique used during the bundling process to eliminate dead (unused) code from the final output. The goal is to reduce bundle size, which leads to faster load times and improved application performance.

The term originates from the idea of "shaking" a syntax tree (the abstract representation of your code) to remove branches (code) that aren't used. It's most effective when working with ES6 module syntax (import/export), as it provides static structure that bundlers like Webpack, Rollup, and Vite can analyze at build time.

For example, if you're importing only one function from a utility library:

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import { debounce } from 'lodash-es';

A bundler with tree shaking support will include only the debounce function in the final bundle—excluding the rest of the library. This is especially useful when working with large libraries where only a subset of functionality is used.

Tree shaking works best when:

• Modules use export and import (not CommonJS require)

• Code is side-effect free or has side effects properly annotated (e.g., using the sideEffects flag in package.json)

• You use a bundler that supports it and runs in production mode

It’s an essential technique in modern front-end development pipelines, ensuring that applications ship only the code they actually need.

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