Vite best practices

Use when building or reviewing Vite projects, configuring vite.config.*, debugging the dev server, or tuning build, plugin, SSR, and environment behavior.

Mental model

• Vite is primarily a dev server plus production build pipeline. Keep those two responsibilities clear when debugging.
• Prefer Vite-native patterns for config, plugin usage, environment variables, and asset handling.
• Keep the build tool focused on app delivery concerns, not as a dumping ground for unrelated orchestration logic.

Config

• Keep vite.config.* explicit and readable. Split complex helper logic into modules if the config becomes hard to scan.
• Prefer the smallest config that expresses the project’s needs.
• Treat plugins as part of the architecture surface; every plugin increases coupling, startup cost, and debugging complexity.

Dev server and modules