Import Maps Let Browsers Resolve Dependencies Without a Bundler
Import maps are a browser-native feature that allow developers to define dependency URLs in a single JSON block, eliminating the need to hard-code CDN paths across dozens of files. When a version bump is required, only one line in the import map needs updating rather than a repo-wide search-and-replace. The feature supports prefix mappings with trailing slashes and scoped overrides, enabling different parts of an app to use different versions of the same package. However, the import map must be declared before any module scripts on the page, and browsers currently support only one import map per page. Import maps are best suited for no-build prototypes, multi-page sites, and micro-frontends, and are not a replacement for bundlers that provide tree-shaking or minification.
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