terser

Terser is an open-source JavaScript minifier and compressor used to reduce the size of JavaScript files for production. It is designed as a drop-in replacement for UglifyJS2 and focuses on compatibility with modern JavaScript features while improving performance and stability. Terser parses code into an abstract syntax tree, applies optimizations, and outputs compact JavaScript that preserves original semantics.

Core features include ES2015+ parsing and output, variable name mangling, dead-code elimination, constant folding, function inlining where safe, and control-flow optimizations. It supports source maps, preservation of license comments, and fine-grained options to control compression and mangling. It also offers configuration to customize how aggressively code is minimized and how top-level or property names are mangled.

Usage: Terser is commonly installed via npm and used in build workflows. It can be run from the command line or via a programmatic API. It is widely integrated with build tools such as Webpack (via terser-webpack-plugin) and Rollup (via terser plugin), among others, to replace older minifiers.

History and development: Terser originated as a fork of UglifyJS2 to address maintenance and compatibility with newer JavaScript syntax. It has since developed independently with ongoing updates and community support.