bundle.js missing from webpack build when using webpack-dev-server

Question

I looked at similar but couldnt find a concerete answer that resolved my issue. I can't find the bundle.js file even though I am specifying where it should be outputted and everything works in the browser. I understand that the webpack-dev server is loading the files from memory and nothing is being written to disk, how I can get the file to be built and added to the dir specified in the output property in the config file?

Here is my package.json:

 {
 "name": "redux-simple-starter",
 "version": "1.0.0",
 "description": "Simple starter package for Redux with React and Babel support",
 "main": "index.js",
 "repository": "[email protected]:StephenGrider/ReduxSimpleStarter.git",
 "scripts": {
 "start": "./node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server.js -- content-base build"
 },
 "author": "",
 "license": "ISC",
 "devDependencies": {
 "babel-core": "^6.2.1",
 "babel-loader": "^6.2.0",
 "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.1.18",
 "babel-preset-react": "^6.1.18",
 "react-hot-loader": "^1.3.0",
 "webpack": "^1.12.9",
 "webpack-dev-server": "^1.14.0"
 },
 "dependencies": {
 "babel-preset-stage-1": "^6.1.18",
 "react": "^0.14.3",
 "react-dom": "^0.14.3",
 "react-redux": "^4.0.0",
 "redux": "^3.0.4"
 }
 }

webpack config:

 var path = require('path');
 var webpack = require('webpack');
 module.exports = {
 entry: [
 'webpack-dev-server/client?http://localhost:8080',
 'webpack/hot/only-dev-server',
 './src/index.js'
 ],
 output: {
 path: path.join(__dirname, 'assets'),
 publicPath: '/',
 filename: 'bundle.js'
 },
 module: {
 loaders: [{
 exclude: /node_modules/,
 loader: 'babel'
 }]
 },
 resolve: {
 extensions: ['', '.js', '.jsx']
 },
 devServer: {
 contentBase: './'
 },
 plugins: [
 new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin()
 ]
 }; 

• lux: I believe I've seen this before - I don't believe when running webpak-dev-server that bundle.js is actually created, but rather just stored in memory. I suspect if you run the simple vanilla webpack command that just builds the project, you will see your bundle.js in your assets directory. Again, try running just webpack from your terminal.
• Abdi: @lux spot on! You should have put that as an answer!

Answer 1

When using the dev server, the output is placed on it. So you won't actually see it amongst your files. From your index.html file you will want to load it in from the server.

For example, for my app I load in dev server, my vendor files, and then my own code.

<script src="http://localhost:8080/webpack-dev-server.js"></script>
<script src="http://localhost:8080/build/vendor.js"></script>
<script src="http://localhost:8080/build/app.js"></script> 

And here is the relevant portion of my webpack config. There is some unnecessary legacy bits from when I was also loading it in from a static build bundle.

 app: [
 'webpack/hot/dev-server',
 'webpack-dev-server/client?http://localhost:8080',
 './client/index.js'
 ]
},
output: {
 path: __dirname + '/client/build',
 publicPath: '/build/',
 filename: '[name].js',
 pathinfo: true
},

• Abdi: I know that it's loading in from the webpack server, but I would like the actual file in my directory so that I can use it in another environment, if this makes sense.
• Austin Shoecraft: That sounds more like a design issue, rather then a webpack issue. I'd reconsider what you are trying to do in that case if you can't simply reference the build from the server.
• Mr Jedi: @AustinShoecraft just imagine dev and prod enviroment. In prod you just wan't put inline js files but in dev you may want hot reloading. If you serve html from server you can't use webpack dev server becouse it don't change files on disk.

Answer 2

This Webpack plugin forces the server to write the bundle to disk.

Although I agree with Austin and lux, if you need to have the file in disk, call webpack directly.

Answer 3

Include below script in the webpack.config.js file

devServer: {
 writeToDisk: true
}

Answer 4

You can also tell webpack to watch using a flag in the config. This will generate the bundle file

module.exports = {
 watch: true,
};

Answer 5

Replace your scripts object of package.json file with the following one:

"scripts": {
 "start": "npm run build",
 "build": "webpack -p && ./node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server.js -- content-base build"
},

Then, run $ npm start