Q: How to create a new Rails 6 app with Webpack?

Use: rails new myapp --webpack=react (replace 'react' with 'vue', 'angular', 'stimulus' or 'svelte'). This generates: 1) Webpacker gem 2) app/javascript directory 3) Babel/Webpack configs 4) Framework-specific setup.

Q: How to add JavaScript frameworks to existing Rails apps?

Run: bundle exec rails webpacker:install:react (or :vue, :angular). This: 1) Installs required npm packages 2) Creates framework directories 3) Generates demo components 4) Updates Webpack config.

Q: Where to place JavaScript files in Rails 6?

All JS assets belong in app/javascript : • packs/ : Entry points • src/ : Framework components • stylesheets/ : SCSS imports • images/ : Webpack-processed images

Q: How to include Webpack packs in Rails views?

Use the helper: <%= javascript_pack_tag 'application' %> and <%= stylesheet_pack_tag 'application' %> . Place in for global bundles or in specific views for component-scoped JS.

Q: How to configure Webpack for multiple frameworks?

1. Install multiple frameworks: rails webpacker:install:react && rails webpacker:install:stimulus 2. Create separate pack files (react_app.js, stimulus_app.js) 3. Import components in respective packs 4. Use javascript_pack_tag selectively in views

Q: How to use npm packages in Rails Webpack?

1. Install package: yarn add package-name 2. Import in pack: import Package from 'package-name' 3. Use in components 4. Recompile: ./bin/webpack-dev-server

Q: How to integrate Webpack with Rails asset pipeline?

1. Keep legacy assets in app/assets 2. Reference Webpack images via image_pack_tag 3. Import Webpack CSS into Sprockets: @import '../../javascript/stylesheets/theme'; 4. Use both javascript_include_tag and javascript_pack_tag during migration

Q: How to deploy Rails 6 Webpack apps?

1. Precompile assets: RAILS_ENV=production rails assets:precompile 2. Ensure Node.js/NPM/Yarn in production 3. Configure config/webpacker.yml for production settings 4. Set compile: false in production for performance 5. Use CDN for compiled packs

Question 1

Why did Rails 6 replace Sprockets with Webpack?

Accepted Answer

Rails 6 adopted Webpack as the default JavaScript bundler to handle modern JS workflows, npm integration, framework support (React/Vue/Angular), and tree-shaking capabilities that Sprockets couldn't efficiently provide.

Question 2

How to create a new Rails 6 app with Webpack?

Accepted Answer

Use: rails new myapp --webpack=react (replace 'react' with 'vue', 'angular', 'stimulus' or 'svelte'). This generates: 1) Webpacker gem 2) app/javascript directory 3) Babel/Webpack configs 4) Framework-specific setup.

Question 3

How to add JavaScript frameworks to existing Rails apps?

Accepted Answer

Run: bundle exec rails webpacker:install:react (or :vue, :angular). This: 1) Installs required npm packages 2) Creates framework directories 3) Generates demo components 4) Updates Webpack config.

Question 4

Where to place JavaScript files in Rails 6?

Accepted Answer

All JS assets belong in app/javascript:
• packs/: Entry points
• src/: Framework components
• stylesheets/: SCSS imports
• images/: Webpack-processed images

Question 5

How to include Webpack packs in Rails views?

Accepted Answer

Use the helper: <%= javascript_pack_tag 'application' %> and <%= stylesheet_pack_tag 'application' %>. Place in for global bundles or in specific views for component-scoped JS.

Question 6

How to configure Webpack for multiple frameworks?

Accepted Answer

1. Install multiple frameworks: rails webpacker:install:react && rails webpacker:install:stimulus
2. Create separate pack files (react_app.js, stimulus_app.js)
3. Import components in respective packs
4. Use javascript_pack_tag selectively in views

Question 7

How to use npm packages in Rails Webpack?

Accepted Answer

1. Install package: yarn add package-name
2. Import in pack: import Package from 'package-name'
3. Use in components
4. Recompile: ./bin/webpack-dev-server

Question 8

Why use webpack-dev-server in development?

Accepted Answer

The dev server provides: 1) Hot Module Replacement (HMR) 2) Faster compilation 3) Live reloading 4) Source maps. Start with: ./bin/webpack-dev-server

Question 9

How to integrate Webpack with Rails asset pipeline?

Accepted Answer

1. Keep legacy assets in app/assets
2. Reference Webpack images via image_pack_tag
3. Import Webpack CSS into Sprockets: @import '../../javascript/stylesheets/theme';
4. Use both javascript_include_tag and javascript_pack_tag during migration

Question 10

How to deploy Rails 6 Webpack apps?

Accepted Answer

1. Precompile assets: RAILS_ENV=production rails assets:precompile
2. Ensure Node.js/NPM/Yarn in production
3. Configure config/webpacker.yml for production settings
4. Set compile: false in production for performance
5. Use CDN for compiled packs

Question 11

How to solve 'Webpacker::Manifest::MissingEntryError'?

Accepted Answer

Common fixes:
1. Run ./bin/webpack to compile
2. Check pack name matches javascript_pack_tag
3. Verify file exists in public/packs/manifest.json
4. Restart webpack-dev-server
5. Clear cache: rails tmp:cache:clear

Tag: Rails

How to use Rails 6 webpack with front-end JS framework

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