Registry / devops / mowdown

mowdown

JSON →
library2.2.2jsnpmunverified

Mowdown is a lightweight, standalone JavaScript bundler designed for straightforward production preparation of web applications. Currently at version 2.2.2, it provides a minimal approach to consolidating and optimizing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript assets without requiring complex build configurations or a persistent local server process. The tool operates by scanning specified HTML files, identifying local CSS and JavaScript references (via `<link>` and `<script>` tags), and then concatenating, minifying, and optionally applying Babel transformations to these assets. Its primary differentiator is its simplicity and "no build step" philosophy, aiming to reduce developer overhead by working directly with existing HTML structures rather than introducing module systems or advanced optimizations like tree shaking or code splitting. It is suitable for projects where the build process needs to be minimal and predictable, especially for static sites or simple web applications. It operates purely as a Node.js utility.

devopsweb-framework
npm install mowdown
github ↗package ↗
INSTALL
IMPORT
SIG · MOWDOWN
M
mowdown
devopsjavascriptv2.2.2
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.

mowdown
✓ const mowdown = require('mowdown')
✗ import mowdown from 'mowdown'
The package is a CommonJS module. Using 'import' syntax directly may require bundler configuration or explicit transpilation in some environments.
mowdown (function call)
✓ mowdown(arrayOfHtmlFiles, outputFolder, options)
✗ new mowdown(arrayOfHtmlFiles, outputFolder, options)
The 'mowdown' export is a function that you call directly, not a class to instantiate with 'new'.

This quickstart demonstrates how to use `mowdown` to bundle and minify HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files from a source directory into an output directory. It creates temporary input files and a minimal `.babelrc` (which mowdown requires), then processes them and cleans up, showcasing basic API usage with options like `sourceFolder` and `isOverwritingHtml`.

const mowdown = require('mowdown'); const fs = require('fs'); const path = require('path'); // Create temporary input and output directories const inputDir = path.join(__dirname, 'temp_mowdown_input'); const outputDir = path.join(__dirname, 'temp_mowdown_output'); fs.mkdirSync(inputDir, { recursive: true }); fs.mkdirSync(outputDir, { recursive: true }); // Create dummy HTML, CSS, JS files for bundling const htmlContent = `<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Mowdown Test</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"> </head> <body> <h1>Welcome to Mowdown!</h1> <script src="script.js"></script> </body> </html>`; const cssContent = `body { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; background-color: #e0f2f7; } h1 { color: #0277bd; text-align: center; }`; const jsContent = `document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => { console.log('JavaScript processed by mowdown!'); const heading = document.querySelector('h1'); if (heading) heading.textContent = 'Mowdown has bundled this content!'; });`; fs.writeFileSync(path.join(inputDir, 'index.html'), htmlContent); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(inputDir, 'style.css'), cssContent); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(inputDir, 'script.js'), jsContent); // Define a minimal .babelrc required by mowdown const babelrcContent = `{ "presets": ["@babel/preset-env"] }`; fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '.babelrc'), babelrcContent); async function runBundler() { try { console.log('Running mowdown bundling process...'); await mowdown([path.join(inputDir, 'index.html')], outputDir, { sourceFolder: inputDir, isOverwritingHtml: false // Crucial to avoid overwriting original source HTML }); console.log(` ✅ Mowdown finished successfully. Check '${outputDir}' for bundled files.`); // Optional: Verify bundled HTML content const bundledHtmlPath = path.join(outputDir, 'index.html'); if (fs.existsSync(bundledHtmlPath)) { const bundledHtmlSnippet = fs.readFileSync(bundledHtmlPath, 'utf-8').substring(0, 500) + '...'; console.log('\nBundled index.html snippet:\n', bundledHtmlSnippet); } } catch (error) { console.error('\n❌ Mowdown failed:', error.message); } finally { // Clean up temporary files and directories fs.rmSync(inputDir, { recursive: true, force: true }); fs.rmSync(outputDir, { recursive: true, force: true }); fs.rmSync(path.join(__dirname, '.babelrc'), { force: true }); console.log('\nCleaned up temporary files and directories.'); } } runBundler();
mowdown --version
Debug
Known issues
gotchaMowdown implicitly assumes all CSS files referenced in HTML are local. If you are using a CDN-hosted CSS file, you must explicitly add it to both the `excludeCss` and `prependCssUrls` options. Failure to do so can lead to build errors, incorrect paths, or missing styles in the bundled output.
fix
For any CDN-hosted CSS links, include their full URLs in both the `excludeCss` and `prependCssUrls` arrays within the options object passed to the `mowdown` function.
affects: >=1.0.0
gotchaA `.babelrc` configuration file is required in the root directory for mowdown to correctly process JavaScript files, even if the `isUsingBabel` option is set to `false` or if you don't intend to use Babel transformations. Its absence will lead to errors during the bundling process.
fix
Create a `.babelrc` file in your project root. A minimal configuration like `{ "presets": ["@babel/preset-env"] }` is often sufficient, or you can copy the example from the mowdown repository if you need more specific Babel functionality.
affects: >=1.0.0
gotchaThe `isOverwritingHtml` option defaults to `true`. This means if you do not specify a distinct `outputFolder` or if `outputFolder` is the same as your input HTML file's directory, mowdown will overwrite your original HTML files with the bundled versions. This can lead to accidental data loss.
fix
Always specify a separate `outputFolder` that is distinct from your source HTML files' location, or explicitly set `isOverwritingHtml: false` in the options object passed to the `mowdown` function to ensure original files are preserved.
affects: >=1.0.0
Errors
Common errors & fixes
Error: Cannot find module '@babel/core' (or similar Babel-related error)
Mowdown relies on Babel for JavaScript processing, and a `.babelrc` file is missing or misconfigured in the project root.
fix
Ensure a `.babelrc` file exists in your project's root directory. Even a basic configuration like `{ "presets": ["@babel/preset-env"] }` is required. Verify that necessary Babel packages are available in mowdown's internal dependencies or your project's `node_modules` if you're running locally.
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat 'path/to/my/asset.css'
Mowdown failed to locate a referenced CSS or JavaScript asset file at the path specified in your HTML relative to the HTML file or the `sourceFolder` option.
fix
Double-check the paths specified in your HTML `<script src="...">` and `<link href="...">` tags. If your assets are not in the same directory as your HTML files, ensure the `sourceFolder` option is correctly pointing to the directory containing all your asset files.
Original HTML files are modified/overwritten unexpectedly or bundled output doesn't match expectations.
The `isOverwritingHtml` option defaults to `true`, leading to source HTML files being directly modified or replaced if the `outputFolder` is not specified or is the same as the input HTML's directory.
fix
Provide a dedicated `outputFolder` that is different from your `sourceFolder` to receive the bundled output, or explicitly set `isOverwritingHtml: false` within the options object passed to the `mowdown` function to prevent source file modification.
Upgrade
Version history
2.2.2latest on npm
Audit
Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity
4 hits · last 30 days
node
4
Resources
githubhttps://github.com/andrewfulrich/mowdown ↗
packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/mowdown ↗