esbuild is an extremely fast JavaScript bundler, minifier, and transformer, primarily known for its speed due to being written in Go. It processes JavaScript, TypeScript, JSX, TSX, CSS, and JSON files, compiling them into optimized bundles for various environments like web browsers or Node.js. Key features include tree-shaking, source map generation, and modern syntax transformation. The project releases frequently, with the current stable version around `0.28.x` as of April 2026, often seeing multiple patch and minor updates within a month. Its key differentiators include performance (often 10-100x faster than competitors), a simple API, and its cross-platform nature. This `esbuild-openbsd-64` package specifically provides the native 64-bit binary for OpenBSD systems. It is typically installed automatically by npm as an optional dependency of the main `esbuild` npm package based on the user's operating system and architecture.
npm install esbuild-openbsd-64Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
This quickstart demonstrates a basic TypeScript project bundling and minification using esbuild's JavaScript API. It creates a simple `src` directory with two files, then configures esbuild to bundle them into a minified, sourcemapped output file for the browser.
Always pin exact versions (`"esbuild": "0.28.0"`) or use patch-only version ranges (`"esbuild": "~0.28.0"`) in `package.json` to prevent automatic major-like updates that may contain breaking changes.
Install `esbuild` directly via `npm install esbuild`. Only use `@esbuild/platform-arch` packages if you explicitly need to manage platform-specific binaries for cross-compilation or specific deployment targets.
Review esbuild's documentation on plugins for 'onLoad' and 'onResolve' hooks. If a specific feature isn't supported by existing plugins, custom logic might be needed, or consider integrating esbuild with other tools for specific transformations.
Ensure your operating system meets the minimum requirements for the esbuild version you are using. If an upgrade isn't possible, you may need to pin to an older esbuild version or consider `esbuild-wasm` as a less performant but more compatible alternative.
Ensure you are running `npm install esbuild` on the target machine with the correct Node.js version and architecture. Delete `node_modules` and `package-lock.json` and run `npm install` again. For Docker, ensure the `npm install` step runs inside the final container environment. If using a specific `esbuild-platform-arch` package, verify it matches your system.
Verify the module is installed (e.g., `npm install some-module`). Check the import path for typos or case sensitivity. If the module is a Node.js built-in and you're targeting the browser, ensure `platform: 'node'` is set in esbuild options, or mark it as `external` if it should not be bundled.
Ensure `entryPoints` is an array of strings, even if you only have a single entry point: `entryPoints: ['src/index.ts']`.