kiki-bundler

library1.9.3jsnpmunverified

Kiki Bundler (current stable version 1.9.3) is an opinionated frontend asset bundler primarily focused on rapid Sass compilation. Designed to address slow build times in legacy projects, it provides a fast, out-of-the-box experience with minimal configuration, significantly improving incremental build performance compared to tools like Grunt with Ruby-Sass or even Libsass directly. The project, while having its last significant updates around 2017, features built-in Autoprefixer support for vendor prefixing and includes a command-line interface for common `build` and `watch` tasks. It distinguishes itself by its speed optimizations for Sass workflows, aiming to reduce compilation times from seconds to milliseconds for incremental changes. However, as of 2026, the project appears to be unmaintained.

devops

npm install kiki-bundler

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · KIKI-BUNDLER

kiki-bundler

devopsjavascriptv1.9.3

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

build

✓ import { build } from 'kiki-bundler'

Imports the programmatic build function for direct integration into Node.js scripts, allowing for custom build orchestration.

run

✓ import { run } from 'kiki-bundler'

Imports the main CLI execution function, primarily useful for testing the CLI or integrating Kiki's command processing into larger Node.js applications.

KikiConfig

✓ import type { KikiConfig } from 'kiki-bundler'

TypeScript type definition for the `kiki.config.json` configuration structure, enabling type-safe configuration in Node.js or TypeScript projects.

Demonstrates how to set up Kiki Bundler with a `kiki.config.json` file and run `build` and `watch` commands via npm scripts, compiling a simple Sass file.

```json // kiki.config.json { "sass": { "src": "src/scss", "dest": "dist/css", "addVendorPrefixes": true, "cssnext": false } } ``` ```json // package.json { "name": "my-project", "version": "1.0.0", "scripts": { "build": "kiki build --production", "watch": "kiki watch" }, "devDependencies": { "kiki-bundler": "^1.9.3" } } ``` ```bash # In your project directory mkdir -p src/scss echo "body { color: blue; }" > src/scss/main.scss npm install --save-dev kiki-bundler npm run build # You should see dist/css/main.css created with compiled and minified CSS ```

kiki --version

Debug

Known issues

breakingAutomatic vendor prefix removal feature was reversed in v1.4.0. Prior to this version, Kiki might have removed existing vendor prefixes which was deemed confusing for users. Post v1.4.0, it preserves them unless explicitly configured otherwise via `addVendorPrefixes`.

fix

Review your CSS output and configuration (`addVendorPrefixes`) if you were relying on automatic prefix removal in older versions. Adjust your Sass or PostCSS setup accordingly.

affects: <1.4.0

breakingRemoval of `cssnano` for minification in v1.6.0 due to safety concerns. This means older versions relied on `cssnano` which could be unsafe, and newer versions (>=1.6.0) no longer use it for minification, potentially affecting output size or specific transformations.

fix

If specific CSS minification features or behaviors previously provided by `cssnano` are required, integrate `cssnano` or an alternative minifier into your build pipeline separately. Be aware of the original safety concerns mentioned by the package author.

affects: >=1.6.0

breakingBuild errors now print to `stderr` and the process exits with code 1 on build failures (outside of watch mode) in v1.8.0. Scripts or CI/CD pipelines relying on parsing `stdout` for error messages or assuming a 0 exit code on all build completions will break.

fix

Update build scripts and CI/CD configurations to check `stderr` for error output and properly handle non-zero exit codes for failed builds.

affects: >=1.8.0

gotchaMissing `yargs` dependency when installing with `npm install --production` for versions prior to v1.9.0. This could lead to CLI failures in production environments where only production dependencies are installed.

fix

Ensure `kiki-bundler` is installed as a `devDependency` or upgrade to `v1.9.0` or later, which includes a fix to ensure `yargs` is correctly bundled or listed as a production dependency.

affects: <1.9.0

gotchaThe Kiki Bundler project appears to be unmaintained since roughly 2017, despite being listed as 1.9.3. There are no recent updates for modern Node.js versions, dependency updates, or addressing new web standards. This may lead to compatibility issues with newer Node.js runtimes or operating systems, or lack of support for modern CSS features.

fix

Consider migrating to actively maintained bundlers like Webpack, Rollup, or Vite for projects requiring ongoing updates, security patches, and support for modern development environments. Use with caution in new projects.

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

kiki: command not found

The `kiki-bundler` package's executable is not in your system's PATH, often due to a local `npm install` without calling from `npm scripts` or `npx`.

fix

Run `kiki` via `npm run <script_name>` (e.g., `npm run build`), or use `npx kiki <command>`, or ensure `node_modules/.bin` is in your system's PATH.

Error: Could not find config file: kiki.config.json

Kiki Bundler requires a configuration file named `kiki.config.json` by default in the project root, or a custom path specified with the `-c` flag.

fix

Create `kiki.config.json` in your project's root directory or specify its path using `kiki <command> -c my-custom-config.json`.

Sass compilation failed: Undefined variable: $my-variable.

A Sass file references a variable or mixin that is not defined or imported correctly within its scope, leading to a compilation error.

fix

Review your Sass files (within the `src` directory specified in `kiki.config.json`) for typos or missing `@import` statements for the necessary variables, mixins, or partials.

Upgrade

Version history

1.9.3latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

yargsrequiredUsed for parsing command-line arguments for the Kiki CLI tool. A fix for missing dependency was applied in v1.9.0 for production installs.

Agent activity

4 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/marvinhagemeister/kiki ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/kiki-bundler ↗