Best MomentJS Alternatives for Smaller JavaScript Bundles

Jason Kam
2 min readDec 19, 2022
Best MomentJS Alternatives for Smaller JavaScript Bundles

Moment.js is a popular JavaScript library for working with dates and times. However, it is a large library that includes many features that may not be necessary for every application. Furthermore, on September 15, 2020 Moment.js maintainers’ team stated that one of the world’s most popular JavaScript date library has come to an end. In these cases, replacing Moment.js with smaller packages can be a good way to reduce the size of the bundle and improve the performance of the application.

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There are a few different approaches to replacing Moment.js with smaller packages:

  1. Use a Date Utility Library: There are several lightweight libraries that provide utility functions for working with dates, such as date-fns, DayJS and Luxon. These libraries offer a similar set of features as Moment.js, but are generally smaller in size and can be more performant.
  2. Use the JavaScript Date Object: The JavaScript Date object provides a built-in way to work with dates and times. While it may not have all the features of Moment.js, it can be sufficient for many use cases and is a good alternative for applications that only need basic date and time functionality.
  3. Use Polyfills: If the application requires certain features that are not available in the JavaScript Date object, it may be possible to use polyfills to add these features. Polyfills are small libraries that provide implementations of features that are not natively supported by the browser. For example, the Intl.js polyfill can be used to add support for internationalization and localization, which are features that are commonly used in Moment.js.

When replacing Moment.js with smaller packages, it is important to carefully evaluate the requirements of the application and choose the right package or combination of packages to meet those needs. In some cases, it may be necessary to use a combination of the approaches outlined above to fully replace Moment.js.

In addition to reducing the size of the bundle, replacing Moment.js with smaller packages can also have other benefits. For example, using a utility library or the JavaScript Date object may result in better performance, as these approaches do not require parsing and manipulating strings, which can be computationally expensive.

Overall, replacing Moment.js with smaller packages can be a good way to optimize the bundle size and improve the performance of a JavaScript application. By carefully evaluating the requirements of the application and choosing the right package or combination of packages, developers can create leaner, faster applications that provide a better user experience.

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