[314]

I prefer to use vite - you get handling of imports without needing a separate bundler step, but you get hot reload as well. I find it is a nicer experience, YMMV but it is good to have alternative options:

  FROM node:19.1.0
  WORKDIR /project/vite_project
  RUN npm init -y
  RUN npm install react react-dom
  RUN npm install -g esbuild
  RUN npm install vite
  EXPOSE 8081
  CMD ["npm","run","dev"]

The react install isn't normally there if I start light - but it shows that the path to throwing in a framework is smooth. Typically combined with:

  #!/usr/bin/env bash
  docker build -t vite_play -f Dockerfile.vite emp/

Obviously there is something to a bundler step happening in the background, but it is fast enough (and implicit) so it doesn't get in the way of rapid prototyping.

[antihero]

I agree, while it’s nice to go back to basics, I am more concerned with the end result, and vite works really nicely to achieve this. Any real project is going to use CI at some point so what’s the issue with having a build step in your pipeline?