bowercomponents

bower_components is the conventional directory used by the Bower package manager to store installed front-end components. When a project defines dependencies in a bower.json file and runs bower install, the downloaded packages are placed in the bower_components directory at the project root. Each installed package typically appears in its own subdirectory, with nested dependencies resolved so that all required assets are available for the build process.

The contents of bower_components usually include libraries, frameworks, and other front-end resources, along with their distribution files and metadata such as version information and license files. The directory acts as a local cache and source of truth for the dependencies that the project builds against, and its structure mirrors the dependency tree defined by the project.

Usage and version control practices commonly treat bower_components as a generated or external repository of dependencies. Many teams ignore the directory in version control (for example, via .gitignore) and reinstall its contents from the bower.json specifications as needed. Build tools and tasks often reference the files within this directory to assemble production assets.

History and status: Bower was a popular front-end package manager in the 2010s but is now deprecated and no longer actively maintained. The recommended approach has shifted toward modern package managers such as npm or Yarn, often in combination with bundlers or task runners. For legacy projects still using Bower, bower_components may remain part of the project, but migration toward current tooling is advised for long-term viability.