JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5 have revolutionized the way we build web applications by allowing us to share code and components across multiple projects. However, one challenge that developers face is implementing server-side rendering (SSR) with Module Federation and Webpack 5.

In this blog post, we will explore how to overcome this challenge and implement server-side rendering with JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5. Let’s get started!

What is Server-Side Rendering?

Server-side rendering (SSR) is a technique where the server generates the initial HTML for a web application and sends it to the client. This helps improve SEO, performance, and the overall user experience.

Implementing SSR with JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5

1. Ensure that your projects are set up with JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5. If you haven’t done so, follow the official documentation for JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5 setup.

2. Create an Express server that will handle the SSR logic. Install the necessary dependencies using npm or yarn:

const express = require('express');
const { createServerRenderer } = require('react-isomorphic-render/server');

const server = express();

const renderer = createServerRenderer({
  // your configuration options
});

server.get('*', (req, res) => {
  renderer.render(req, res);
});

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on port 3000');
});

1. In your Webpack configuration file, set up the necessary server-side rendering plugins and loaders. Here’s an example of how you can configure the loaders for server-side rendering:

module.exports = {
  // your existing Webpack configuration options
  
  target: 'node', // Enable Node.js environment
  
  module: {
    rules: [
      // Add loaders for your server-side rendering setup
      {
        test: /\.js$/,
        exclude: /node_modules/,
        use: {
          loader: 'babel-loader',
          options: {
            presets: ['@babel/preset-env', '@babel/preset-react'],
          },
        },
      },
      // Add any other necessary loaders
    ],
  },
};

1. Make sure that your entry file is properly configured to enable server-side rendering. This usually requires setting up special entry points for server-side rendering.

2. Start your server and test the server-side rendering functionality. Open your browser and visit your application’s URL. You should now see the server-rendered content.

Conclusion

Implementing server-side rendering with JavaScript Module Federation and Webpack 5 allows us to take advantage of code sharing and component reusability while providing a better user experience and improved SEO. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily enable server-side rendering in your JavaScript projects.

#webdevelopment #javascript