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Tsdown

Bundle TypeScript and JavaScript libraries with tsdown, including declarations and multi-format builds.

Tsdown agent skill overview

This MCP Server Hub listing collects the source repository, setup notes, feature summary, and README details for Tsdown. Use it to decide whether this agent skill fits your AI assistant workflow before installing it locally or connecting it to a compatible client.


name: tsdown description: Bundle TypeScript and JavaScript libraries with blazing-fast speed powered by Rolldown. Use when building libraries, generating type declarations, bundling for multiple formats, or migrating from tsup.

tsdown - The Elegant Library Bundler

Blazing-fast bundler for TypeScript/JavaScript libraries powered by Rolldown and Oxc.

Runtime Requirement

tsdown requires Node.js 22.18.0 or higher to run (build-time only). However, the bundled output can target much lower Node.js versions via the target option, so libraries built with tsdown are not locked to Node.js 22+ at runtime.

If your package needs to support Node.js 18 / 20:

  • Build with Node.js 22+ in CI (e.g. set target: 'node18' or target: 'node20').
  • Test the built output (or the packed tarball) on the lower Node.js versions you intend to support — e.g. using a matrix job that runs the published package's tests on Node.js 18 / 20 / 22.

When to Use

  • Building TypeScript/JavaScript libraries for npm
  • Generating TypeScript declaration files (.d.ts)
  • Bundling for multiple formats (ESM, CJS, IIFE, UMD)
  • Optimizing bundles with tree shaking and minification
  • Migrating from tsup with minimal changes
  • Building React, Vue, Solid, or Svelte component libraries

Quick Start

# Install
pnpm add -D tsdown

# Basic usage
npx tsdown

# With config file
npx tsdown --config tsdown.config.ts

# Watch mode
npx tsdown --watch

# Migrate from tsup
npx tsdown-migrate

Basic Configuration

import { defineConfig } from 'tsdown'

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['./src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  clean: true,
})

Core References

Topic Description Reference
Getting Started Installation, first bundle, CLI basics guide-getting-started
Configuration File Config file formats, multiple configs, workspace option-config-file
CLI Reference All CLI commands and options reference-cli
Migrate from tsup Migration guide and compatibility notes guide-migrate-from-tsup
Plugins Rolldown, Rollup, Unplugin support advanced-plugins

For comprehensive migration assistance with complete option mappings, install the dedicated tsdown-migrate skill: npx skills add rolldown/tsdown --skill tsdown-migrate | Hooks | Lifecycle hooks for custom logic | advanced-hooks | | Programmatic API | Build from Node.js scripts | advanced-programmatic | | Rolldown Options | Pass options directly to Rolldown | advanced-rolldown-options | | CI Environment | CI detection, 'ci-only' / 'local-only' values | advanced-ci |

Build Options

Option Usage Reference
Entry points entry: ['src/*.ts', '!**/*.test.ts'] option-entry
Output formats format: ['esm', 'cjs', 'iife', 'umd'] option-output-format
Output directory outDir: 'dist', outExtensions option-output-directory
Type declarations dts: true, dts: { sourcemap, compilerOptions, vue } option-dts
Target environment target: 'es2020', target: 'esnext' option-target
Platform platform: 'node', platform: 'browser' option-platform
Tree shaking treeshake: true, custom options option-tree-shaking
Minification minify: true, minify: 'dce-only' option-minification
Source maps sourcemap: true, 'inline', 'hidden' option-sourcemap
Watch mode watch: true, watch options option-watch-mode
Cleaning clean: true, clean patterns option-cleaning
Log level logLevel: 'silent', failOnWarn: false option-log-level

Dependency Handling

Feature Usage Reference
Never bundle deps: { neverBundle: ['react', /^@myorg\//] } option-dependencies
Always bundle deps: { alwaysBundle: ['dep-to-bundle'] } option-dependencies
Only bundle deps: { onlyBundle: ['cac', 'bumpp'] } - Whitelist option-dependencies
Skip node_modules deps: { skipNodeModulesBundle: true } option-dependencies
Auto external Automatic dependency/peer/optional externalization option-dependencies

Output Enhancement

Feature Usage Reference
Shims shims: true - Add ESM/CJS compatibility option-shims
CJS default cjsDefault: true (default) / false option-cjs-default
Package exports exports: true - Generate exports field option-package-exports
CSS handling [experimental] css: { ... } — full pipeline with preprocessors, Lightning CSS, PostCSS, CSS modules, code splitting; requires @tsdown/css option-css
CSS modules css: { modules: { localsConvention: 'camelCase' } } — scoped class names for .module.css files option-css
CSS inject css: { inject: true } — preserve CSS imports in JS output option-css
Unbundle mode unbundle: true - Preserve directory structure option-unbundle
Root directory root: 'src' - Control output directory mapping option-root
Executable [experimental] exe: true - Bundle as standalone executable, cross-platform via @tsdown/exe option-exe
Package validation publint: true, attw: true - Validate package option-lint

Framework & Runtime Support

Framework Guide Reference
React JSX transform, React Compiler recipe-react
Vue SFC support, JSX recipe-vue
Solid SolidJS JSX transform recipe-solid
Svelte Svelte component libraries (source distribution recommended) recipe-svelte
WASM WebAssembly modules via rolldown-plugin-wasm recipe-wasm

Common Patterns

Basic Library Bundle

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  clean: true,
})

Multiple Entry Points

export default defineConfig({
  entry: {
    index: 'src/index.ts',
    utils: 'src/utils.ts',
    cli: 'src/cli.ts',
  },
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
})

Browser Library (IIFE/UMD)

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['iife'],
  globalName: 'MyLib',
  platform: 'browser',
  minify: true,
})

React Component Library

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.tsx'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  deps: {
    neverBundle: ['react', 'react-dom'],
  },
  inputOptions: {
    jsx: { runtime: 'automatic' },
  },
})

Preserve Directory Structure

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/**/*.ts', '!**/*.test.ts'],
  unbundle: true, // Preserve file structure
  format: ['esm'],
  dts: true,
})

CI-Aware Configuration

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  failOnWarn: 'ci-only',  // opt-in: fail on warnings in CI
  publint: 'ci-only',
  attw: 'ci-only',
})

WASM Support

import { wasm } from 'rolldown-plugin-wasm'
import { defineConfig } from 'tsdown'

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  plugins: [wasm()],
})

Library with CSS and Sass

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  target: 'chrome100',
  css: {
    preprocessorOptions: {
      scss: {
        additionalData: `@use "src/styles/variables" as *;`,
      },
    },
  },
})

Standalone Executable

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/cli.ts'],
  exe: true,
})

Cross-Platform Executable (requires @tsdown/exe)

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/cli.ts'],
  exe: {
    targets: [
      { platform: 'linux', arch: 'x64', nodeVersion: '25.7.0' },
      { platform: 'darwin', arch: 'arm64', nodeVersion: '25.7.0' },
      { platform: 'win', arch: 'x64', nodeVersion: '25.7.0' },
    ],
  },
})

Advanced with Hooks

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
  hooks: {
    'build:before': async (context) => {
      console.log('Building...')
    },
    'build:done': async (context) => {
      console.log('Build complete!')
    },
  },
})

Configuration Features

Multiple Configs

Export an array for multiple build configurations:

export default defineConfig([
  {
    entry: ['src/index.ts'],
    format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
    dts: true,
  },
  {
    entry: ['src/cli.ts'],
    format: ['esm'],
    platform: 'node',
  },
])

Conditional Config

Use functions for dynamic configuration:

export default defineConfig((options) => {
  const isDev = options.watch
  return {
    entry: ['src/index.ts'],
    format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
    minify: !isDev,
    sourcemap: isDev,
  }
})

Workspace/Monorepo

Use glob patterns to build multiple packages:

export default defineConfig({
  workspace: 'packages/*',
  entry: ['src/index.ts'],
  format: ['esm', 'cjs'],
  dts: true,
})

CLI Quick Reference

# Basic commands
tsdown                          # Build once
tsdown --watch                  # Watch mode
tsdown --config custom.ts       # Custom config
npx tsdown-migrate              # Migrate from tsup

# Output options
tsdown --format esm,cjs        # Multiple formats
tsdown -d lib                  # Custom output directory (--out-dir)
tsdown --minify                # Enable minification
tsdown --dts                   # Generate declarations
tsdown --exe                   # Bundle as standalone executable
tsdown --unbundle              # Bundleless mode

# Entry options
tsdown src/index.ts            # Single entry
tsdown src/*.ts                # Glob patterns
tsdown src/a.ts src/b.ts       # Multiple entries

# Workspace / Monorepo
tsdown -W                      # Enable workspace mode
tsdown -W -F my-package        # Filter specific package
tsdown --filter /^pkg-/        # Filter by regex

# Development
tsdown --watch                 # Watch mode
tsdown --sourcemap             # Generate source maps
tsdown --clean                 # Clean output directory
tsdown --from-vite             # Reuse Vite config
tsdown --tsconfig tsconfig.build.json  # Custom tsconfig

Best Practices

  1. Always generate type declarations for TypeScript libraries:

    { dts: true }
    
  2. Externalize dependencies to avoid bundling unnecessary code:

    { deps: { neverBundle: [/^react/, /^@myorg\//] } }
    
  3. Use tree shaking for optimal bundle size:

    { treeshake: true }
    
  4. Enable minification for production builds:

    { minify: true }
    
  5. Add shims for better ESM/CJS compatibility:

    { shims: true }  // Adds __dirname, __filename, etc.
    
  6. Auto-generate package.json exports:

    { exports: true }  // Creates proper exports field
    
  7. Use watch mode during development:

    tsdown --watch
    
  8. Preserve structure for utilities with many files:

    { unbundle: true }  // Keep directory structure
    
  9. Validate packages in CI before publishing:

    { publint: 'ci-only', attw: 'ci-only' }
    

Resources