This example demonstrates how to build a complex library with webpack. The library consist of multiple parts that are usable on its own and together.

When using this library with script tags it exports itself to the namespace MyLibrary and each part to a property in this namespace (MyLibrary.alpha and MyLibrary.beta). When consuming the library with CommonsJs or AMD it just export each part.

We are using mutliple entry points (entry option) to build every part of the library as separate output file. The output.filename option contains [name] to give each output file a different name.

We are using the libraryTarget option to generate a UMD (Universal Module Definition) module that is consumable in CommonsJs, AMD and with script tags. The library option defines the namespace. We are using [name] in the library option to give every entry a different namespace.

You can see that webpack automatically wraps your module so that it is consumable in every enviroment. All you need is this simple config.

Note: You can also use the library and libraryTarget options without multiple entry points. Then you don't need [name].

Note: When your library has dependencies that should not be included in the compiled version, you can use the externals option. See externals example.

webpack.config.js

var path = require("path");
module.exports = {
	entry: {
		alpha: "./alpha",
		beta: "./beta"
	},
	output: {
		path: path.join(__dirname, "js"),
		filename: "MyLibrary.[name].js",
		library: ["MyLibrary", "[name]"],
		libraryTarget: "umd"
	}
}

js/MyLibrary.alpha.js

(function webpackUniversalModuleDefinition(root, factory) {
	if(typeof exports === 'object' && typeof module === 'object')
		module.exports = factory();
	else if(typeof define === 'function' && define.amd)
		define(factory);
	else if(typeof exports === 'object')
		exports["alpha"] = factory();
	else
		root["MyLibrary"] = root["MyLibrary"] || {}, root["MyLibrary"]["alpha"] = factory();
})(this, function() {
return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
/******/ 	// The module cache
/******/ 	var installedModules = {};
/******/
/******/ 	// The require function
/******/ 	function __webpack_require__(moduleId) {
/******/
/******/ 		// Check if module is in cache
/******/ 		if(installedModules[moduleId])
/******/ 			return installedModules[moduleId].exports;
/******/
/******/ 		// Create a new module (and put it into the cache)
/******/ 		var module = installedModules[moduleId] = {
/******/ 			exports: {},
/******/ 			id: moduleId,
/******/ 			loaded: false
/******/ 		};
/******/
/******/ 		// Execute the module function
/******/ 		modules[moduleId].call(module.exports, module, module.exports, __webpack_require__);
/******/
/******/ 		// Flag the module as loaded
/******/ 		module.loaded = true;
/******/
/******/ 		// Return the exports of the module
/******/ 		return module.exports;
/******/ 	}
/******/
/******/
/******/ 	// expose the modules object (__webpack_modules__)
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.m = modules;
/******/
/******/ 	// expose the module cache
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.c = installedModules;
/******/
/******/ 	// __webpack_public_path__
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.p = "js/";
/******/
/******/ 	// Load entry module and return exports
/******/ 	return __webpack_require__(0);
/******/ })
/************************************************************************/
/******/ ([
/* 0 */
/*!******************!*\
  !*** ./alpha.js ***!
  \******************/
/***/ function(module, exports, __webpack_require__) {

	module.exports = "alpha";

/***/ }
/******/ ])
});

js/MyLibrary.beta.js

(function webpackUniversalModuleDefinition(root, factory) {
	if(typeof exports === 'object' && typeof module === 'object')
		module.exports = factory();
	else if(typeof define === 'function' && define.amd)
		define(factory);
	else if(typeof exports === 'object')
		exports["beta"] = factory();
	else
		root["MyLibrary"] = root["MyLibrary"] || {}, root["MyLibrary"]["beta"] = factory();
})(this, function() {
return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
/******/ 	// The module cache
/******/ 	var installedModules = {};
/******/
/******/ 	// The require function
/******/ 	function __webpack_require__(moduleId) {
/******/
/******/ 		// Check if module is in cache
/******/ 		if(installedModules[moduleId])
/******/ 			return installedModules[moduleId].exports;
/******/
/******/ 		// Create a new module (and put it into the cache)
/******/ 		var module = installedModules[moduleId] = {
/******/ 			exports: {},
/******/ 			id: moduleId,
/******/ 			loaded: false
/******/ 		};
/******/
/******/ 		// Execute the module function
/******/ 		modules[moduleId].call(module.exports, module, module.exports, __webpack_require__);
/******/
/******/ 		// Flag the module as loaded
/******/ 		module.loaded = true;
/******/
/******/ 		// Return the exports of the module
/******/ 		return module.exports;
/******/ 	}
/******/
/******/
/******/ 	// expose the modules object (__webpack_modules__)
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.m = modules;
/******/
/******/ 	// expose the module cache
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.c = installedModules;
/******/
/******/ 	// __webpack_public_path__
/******/ 	__webpack_require__.p = "js/";
/******/
/******/ 	// Load entry module and return exports
/******/ 	return __webpack_require__(0);
/******/ })
/************************************************************************/
/******/ ([
/* 0 */
/*!*****************!*\
  !*** ./beta.js ***!
  \*****************/
/***/ function(module, exports, __webpack_require__) {

	module.exports = "beta";

/***/ }
/******/ ])
});

Info

Uncompressed

Hash: c7f999402520fa44f95c
Version: webpack 1.5.0
Time: 34ms
             Asset  Size  Chunks             Chunk Names
 MyLibrary.beta.js  2011       0  [emitted]  beta
MyLibrary.alpha.js  2017       1  [emitted]  alpha
chunk    {0} MyLibrary.beta.js (beta) 24 [rendered]
    > beta [0] ./beta.js 
    [0] ./beta.js 24 {0} [built]
chunk    {1} MyLibrary.alpha.js (alpha) 25 [rendered]
    > alpha [0] ./alpha.js 
    [0] ./alpha.js 25 {1} [built]

Minimized (uglify-js, no zip)

Hash: 0f9197c2217d2ca4cce4
Version: webpack 1.5.0
Time: 138ms
             Asset  Size  Chunks             Chunk Names
 MyLibrary.beta.js   485       0  [emitted]  beta
MyLibrary.alpha.js   488       1  [emitted]  alpha
chunk    {0} MyLibrary.beta.js (beta) 24 [rendered]
    > beta [0] ./beta.js 
    [0] ./beta.js 24 {0} [built]
chunk    {1} MyLibrary.alpha.js (alpha) 25 [rendered]
    > alpha [0] ./alpha.js 
    [0] ./alpha.js 25 {1} [built]