Webpack
In plain terms
A bundler that combines many web files into optimized packages for the browser.
Going deeper
Webpack takes your JavaScript, CSS, images, and modules, resolves their dependencies, and outputs a few optimized bundles. This reduces requests and lets you use modern tooling the browser couldn't handle directly.
Under the hood
Uses loaders to transform file types and plugins for optimization (minification, code splitting, tree shaking); newer tools like Vite use native ESM for faster dev builds.
Examples
Bundling a React app, transpiling via Babel loader, splitting vendor chunks.
Think of it like...
Like a moving company that packs a house's scattered belongings into a few labeled, efficiently-packed boxes for transport.