webpack-dev-server
webpack-dev-server
Use webpack with a development server that provides live reloading. This should be used for development only.
It uses webpack-dev-middleware under the hood, which provides fast in-memory access to the webpack assets.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
First things first, install the module:
npm install webpack-dev-server --save-dev
Note: While you can install and run webpack-dev-server globally, we recommend installing it locally. webpack-dev-server will always use a local installation over a global one.
Usage
There are two main, recommended methods of using the module:
With the CLI
The easiest way to use it is with the webpack CLI. In the directory where your webpack.config.js is, run:
npx webpack serve
Following options are available with webpack serve:
Usage: webpack serve|server|s [entries...] [options]
Run the webpack dev server.
Options:
-c, --config <value...> Provide path to a webpack configuration file e.g. ./webpack.config.js.
--config-name <value...> Name of the configuration to use.
-m, --merge Merge two or more configurations using 'webpack-merge'.
--env <value...> Environment passed to the configuration when it is a function.
--node-env <value> Sets process.env.NODE_ENV to the specified value.
--progress [value] Print compilation progress during build.
-j, --json [value] Prints result as JSON or store it in a file.
--entry <value...> The entry point(s) of your application e.g. ./src/main.js.
-o, --output-path <value> Output location of the file generated by webpack e.g. ./dist/.
-t, --target <value> Sets the build target e.g. node.
-d, --devtool <value> Determine source maps to use.
--no-devtool Do not generate source maps.
--mode <value> Defines the mode to pass to webpack.
--name <value> Name of the configuration. Used when loading multiple configurations.
--stats [value] It instructs webpack on how to treat the stats e.g. verbose.
--no-stats Disable stats output.
--watch-options-stdin Stop watching when stdin stream has ended.
--no-watch-options-stdin Do not stop watching when stdin stream has ended.
--allowed-hosts <value...> Allows to enumerate the hosts from which access to the dev server are allowed (useful when you are proxying dev server, by default is 'auto').
--allowed-hosts-reset Clear all items provided in 'allowedHosts' configuration. Allows to enumerate the hosts from which access to the dev server are allowed (useful when you are proxying dev server, by default is 'auto').
--bonjour Allows to broadcasts dev server via ZeroConf networking on start.
--no-bonjour Disallows to broadcasts dev server via ZeroConf networking on start.
--client-web-socket-transport <value> Allows to set custom web socket transport to communicate with dev server.
--no-client Negative 'client' option.
--client-logging <value> Allows to specify options for client script in the browser or disable client script.
--client-progress Prints compilation progress in percentage in the browser.
--no-client-progress Does not print compilation progress in percentage in the browser.
--client-reconnect [value] Tells dev-server the number of times it should try to reconnect the client.
--no-client-reconnect Tells dev-server to not to try to connect the client.
--client-overlay Enables a full-screen overlay in the browser when there are compiler errors or warnings.
--no-client-overlay Disables a full-screen overlay in the browser when there are compiler errors or warnings.
--client-overlay-errors Enables a full-screen overlay in the browser when there are compiler errors.
--no-client-overlay-errors Negative 'client-overlay-errors' option.
--client-overlay-warnings Enables a full-screen overlay in the browser when there are compiler warnings.
--no-client-overlay-warnings Negative 'client-overlay-warnings' option.
--client-web-socket-url <value> Allows to specify URL to web socket server (useful when you're proxying dev server and client script does not always know where to connect to).
--client-web-socket-url-hostname <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided hostname.
--client-web-socket-url-port <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided port.
--client-web-socket-url-pathname <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided path to connect.
--client-web-socket-url-protocol <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided protocol.
--client-web-socket-url-username <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided username to authenticate.
--client-web-socket-url-password <value> Tells clients connected to devServer to use the provided password to authenticate.
--web-socket-server <value> Allows to set web socket server and options (by default 'ws').
--no-web-socket-server Negative 'web-socket-server' option.
--compress Enables gzip compression for everything served.
--no-compress Disables gzip compression for everything served.
--history-api-fallback Allows to proxy requests through a specified index page (by default 'index.html'), useful for Single Page Applications that utilise the HTML5 History API.
--no-history-api-fallback Negative 'history-api-fallback' option.
--host <value> Allows to specify a hostname to use.
--hot [value] Enables Hot Module Replacement.
--no-hot Disables Hot Module Replacement.
--http2 Allows to serve over HTTP/2 using SPDY.
--no-http2 Does not serve over HTTP/2 using SPDY.
--https Allows to configure the server's listening socket for TLS (by default, dev server will be served over HTTP).
--no-https Disallows to configure the server's listening socket for TLS (by default, dev server will be served over HTTP).
--https-passphrase <value> Passphrase for a pfx file. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.passphrase` option.
--https-request-cert Request for an SSL certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.requestCert`
option.
--no-https-request-cert Negative 'https-request-cert' option.
--https-ca <value...> Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the
`server.options.ca` option.
--https-ca-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.ca' configuration. Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA
certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.ca` option.
--https-cacert <value...> Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the
`server.options.cacert` option.
--https-cacert-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.cacert' configuration. Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA
certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.cacert` option.
--https-cert <value...> Path to an SSL certificate or content of an SSL certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the
`server.options.cert` option.
--https-cert-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.cert' configuration. Path to an SSL certificate or content of an SSL
certificate. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.cert` option.
--https-crl <value...> Path to PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists) or content of PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate
Revocation Lists). Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.crl` option.
--https-crl-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.crl' configuration. Path to PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists)
or content of PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists). Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the
`server.options.crl` option.
--https-key <value...> Path to an SSL key or content of an SSL key. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.key`
option.
--https-key-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.key' configuration. Path to an SSL key or content of an SSL key. Deprecated,
it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.key` option.
--https-pfx <value...> Path to an SSL pfx file or content of an SSL pfx file. Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the
`server.options.pfx` option.
--https-pfx-reset Clear all items provided in 'https.pfx' configuration. Path to an SSL pfx file or content of an SSL pfx file.
Deprecated, it will be removed in favor of the `server.options.pfx` option.
--ipc [value] Listen to a unix socket.
--live-reload Enables reload/refresh the page(s) when file changes are detected (enabled by default).
--no-live-reload Disables reload/refresh the page(s) when file changes are detected (enabled by default)
--magic-html Tells dev-server whether to enable magic HTML routes (routes corresponding to your webpack output, for example '/main' for 'main.js').
--no-magic-html Disables magic HTML routes (routes corresponding to your webpack output, for example '/main' for 'main.js').
--open [value...] Allows to configure dev server to open the browser(s) and page(s) after server had been started (set it to true to open your default browser).
--no-open Does not open the default browser.
--open-target <value...> Opens specified page in browser.
--open-app-name <value...> Open specified browser.
--open-app <value...> Open specified browser.
--open-reset Clear all items provided in 'open' configuration. Allows to configure dev server to open the browser(s) and page(s) after server had been started (set it to true to open your default browser).
--open-target-reset Clear all items provided in 'open.target' configuration. Opens specified page in browser.
--open-app-name-reset Clear all items provided in 'open.app.name' configuration. Open specified browser.
--port <value> Allows to specify a port to use.
--server-type <value> Allows to set server and options (by default 'http').
--server-options-passphrase <value> Passphrase for a pfx file.
--server-options-request-cert Request for an SSL certificate.
--no-server-options-request-cert Negative 'server-options-request-cert' option.
--server-options-ca <value...> Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA certificate.
--server-options-ca-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.ca' configuration. Path to an SSL CA certificate or content
of an SSL CA certificate.
--server-options-cacert <value...> Path to an SSL CA certificate or content of an SSL CA certificate.
--server-options-cacert-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.cacert' configuration. Path to an SSL CA certificate or
content of an SSL CA certificate.
--server-options-cert <value...> Path to an SSL certificate or content of an SSL certificate.
--server-options-cert-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.cert' configuration. Path to an SSL certificate or content
of an SSL certificate.
--server-options-crl <value...> Path to PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists) or content of PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate
Revocation Lists).
--server-options-crl-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.crl' configuration. Path to PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate
Revocation Lists) or content of PEM formatted CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists).
--server-options-key <value...> Path to an SSL key or content of an SSL key.
--server-options-key-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.key' configuration. Path to an SSL key or content of an SSL
key.
--server-options-pfx <value...> Path to an SSL pfx file or content of an SSL pfx file.
--server-options-pfx-reset Clear all items provided in 'server.options.pfx' configuration. Path to an SSL pfx file or content of
an SSL pfx file.
--static [value...] Allows to configure options for serving static files from directory (by default 'public' directory).
--no-static Negative 'static' option.
--static-directory <value...> Directory for static contents.
--static-public-path <value...> The static files will be available in the browser under this public path.
--static-serve-index Tells dev server to use serveIndex middleware when enabled.
--no-static-serve-index Does not tell dev server to use serveIndex middleware.
--static-watch Watches for files in static content directory.
--no-static-watch Does not watch for files in static content directory.
--static-reset Clear all items provided in 'static' configuration. Allows to configure options for serving static files from directory (by default 'public' directory).
--static-public-path-reset Clear all items provided in 'static.publicPath' configuration. The static files will be available in the browser under this public path.
--watch-files <value...> Allows to configure list of globs/directories/files to watch for file changes.
--watch-files-reset Clear all items provided in 'watchFiles' configuration. Allows to configure list of globs/directories/files to watch for file changes.
Global options:
--color Enable colors on console.
--no-color Disable colors on console.
-v, --version Output the version number of 'webpack', 'webpack-cli' and 'webpack-dev-server' and commands.
-h, --help [verbose] Display help for commands and options.
To see list of all supported commands and options run 'webpack --help=verbose'.
Webpack documentation: https://webpack.js.org/.
CLI documentation: https://webpack.js.org/api/cli/.
Made with ♥ by the webpack team.
Note: For more information on above options explore this link.
With NPM Scripts
NPM package.json scripts are a convenient and useful means to run locally installed binaries without having to be concerned about their full paths. Simply define a script as such:
{
"scripts": {
"serve": "webpack serve"
}
}
And run the following in your terminal/console:
npm run serve
NPM will automagically reference the binary in node_modules for you, and execute the file or command.
With the API
While it's recommended to run webpack-dev-server via the CLI, you may also choose to start a server via the API.
See the related API documentation for webpack-dev-server.
The Result
Either method will start a server instance and begin listening for connections from localhost on port 8080.
webpack-dev-server is configured by default to support live-reload of files as you edit your assets while the server is running.
See the documentation for more use cases and options.
Browser Support
While webpack-dev-server transpiles the client (browser) scripts to an ES5 state, the project only officially supports the last two versions of major browsers. We simply don't have the resources to support every whacky browser out there.
If you find a bug with an obscure / old browser, we would actively welcome a Pull Request to resolve the bug.
Support
We do our best to keep Issues in the repository focused on bugs, features, and needed modifications to the code for the module. Because of that, we ask users with general support, "how-to", or "why isn't this working" questions to try one of the other support channels that are available.
Your first-stop-shop for support for webpack-dev-server should be the excellent documentation for the module. If you see an opportunity for improvement of those docs, please head over to the webpack.js.org repo and open a pull request.
From there, we encourage users to visit the webpack Gitter chat and talk to the fine folks there. If your quest for answers comes up dry in chat, head over to StackOverflow and do a quick search or open a new question. Remember; It's always much easier to answer questions that include your webpack.config.js and relevant files!
If you're twitter-savvy you can tweet #webpack with your question and someone should be able to reach out and lend a hand.
If you have discovered a
Contributing
We welcome your contributions! Please have a read of CONTRIBUTING.md for more information on how to get involved.
Attribution
This project is heavily inspired by peerigon/nof5.