How to use Google's Closure to compile JavaScript
Solution 1
For a single file it's simple
java -jar $path_to_jar/compiler.jar --js input_file.js \
--js_output_file output_file.js
For a multi-file project you can use calcdeps.py
in combination with the compiler.jar
#!/bin/sh$
$CALCDEPS_PATH=/path/to_calcdeps #directory containing calcdeps.py
$JAR_PATH=/path/to_jar #directory containing compiler.jar
$CLOSURE_PATH=/path/to_closure #contains directory "closure"
$CALCDEPS_PATH/calcdeps.py --path $CLOSURE_PATH \
--path . \
--compiler_jar $JAR_PATH/compiler.jar \
--input main_project_file.js \
--output_mode compiled \
> compiled_project_file.js
That way compiler gives meaningful information about type errors, etc. Type errors can be caught at compile time because compiler.jar
uses certain JSDoc
comments for type information.
Extra compiler flags can be passed to calcdeps.py
along with -f
or --compiler_flags
options
If you want to use advanced optimizations set
--compiler_flags "--compilation_level=ADVANCED_OPTIMIZATIONS"
notice the double quotes and the equal sign - had to use that format in bash
Solution 2
The Closure compiler is now available as a JavaScript application. No need for the Java dependency anymore
There are a few ways to integrate with it. I have done it as part of Rollup
ex:
import rollup from 'rollup';
import closure from 'rollup-plugin-closure-compiler-js';
export default {
entry: 'index.js',
dest: 'dist/build.js',
format: 'iife',
plugins: [
closure({
languageIn: 'ECMASCRIPT6',
languageOut: 'ECMASCRIPT5',
compilationLevel: 'ADVANCED',
warningLevel: 'VERBOSE',
externs: [{src:`
var jQuery;
jQuery.fadeIn = function() {};
var ko;
ko.applyBindings = function(vm) {};
ko.computed = function(a,b) {};
ko.observable = function(a) {};
`}],
})
]
}
More info here:
http://www.syntaxsuccess.com/viewarticle/using-the-closure-compiler---advanced_optimizations
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Ted
Updated on April 21, 2022Comments
-
Ted about 2 years
Google just released Closure, which is a compiler to minify JavaScript.
On the product site, it says "The Closure Compiler has also been integrated with Page Speed".
How do I use Page Speed to compile my web pages JavaScript with Closure?
(Or, is there a web site that I can simply paste in my JavaScript to have closure minify it?