How a Developer Kept a Pokémon Generator Fast by Compiling Data at Build Time

A developer building a random Pokémon generator avoided shipping a 2.4MB dataset to users by running a build-time script that compiles only the necessary data from the @pkmn/dex npm package into trimmed static JSON files. The approach reduces what each visitor downloads to just 13 fields per species, cutting out thousands of redundant data points the UI never uses. The build script also handles messy classification logic — such as defining starters, legendaries, and generation ranges — in one place rather than scattering it across UI components. The only exception is the 870KB learnsets file, which is loaded on demand via dynamic import since just one feature requires it. The pattern, described as treating the build step as a data compiler, eliminates runtime API calls entirely and keeps the app fast without depending on a third-party service at runtime.