Madge vs Parcel
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Draws a graph of your JavaScript module dependencies and finds circular ones.
Open source · MIT
A zero-config web build tool that bundles JavaScript, CSS, HTML and other assets.
The short answer
Choose Madge if you need…
- JavaScript developers untangling a large codebase with many imports
- Teams who want to catch circular dependencies before they cause bugs
- Anyone who wants a picture of how a project's modules fit together
- Projects that use CSS preprocessors like Sass, Stylus or Less
Choose Parcel if you need…
- Web developers who want a bundler that works without a config file
- Small to medium front-end projects that need to get running quickly
- Developers who want to bundle HTML, CSS and JavaScript together from one entry point
Side-by-side
| Madge | Parcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 10.2k | 44k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 10 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Madge
Madge reads your source code and works out which files import which others, then shows that as a visual graph. It can also list circular dependencies, orphaned files, and modules with no dependencies. It works with CommonJS, AMD and ES6 modules, and with Sass, Stylus and Less files.
Parcel
Parcel is a build tool for websites and web apps. You point it at an HTML file or your source code, and it bundles the JavaScript, CSS, images and other assets your project needs into files a browser can load. It is described as requiring little or no configuration, so you can start without writing a build config file.
Best for
Madge
- JavaScript developers untangling a large codebase with many imports
- Teams who want to catch circular dependencies before they cause bugs
- Anyone who wants a picture of how a project's modules fit together
- Projects that use CSS preprocessors like Sass, Stylus or Less
Parcel
- Web developers who want a bundler that works without a config file
- Small to medium front-end projects that need to get running quickly
- Developers who want to bundle HTML, CSS and JavaScript together from one entry point
Strengths
Madge
- Supports several module systems (AMD, CommonJS, ES6) and CSS preprocessors
- Offers both a command-line tool and a Node.js API
- Has a configuration file option (.madgerc or package.json) for styling the graph
Parcel
- Described as zero-configuration, so setup can be minimal
- Handles multiple asset types (JavaScript, CSS, HTML) in one tool
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community (about 44,000 stars)
Not ideal for
Madge
- Non-developers, since it runs from the command line or Node.js code
- Projects that need dependency analysis for languages other than those listed in the README
- Anyone wanting to generate images without Graphviz installed, since image output depends on it
Parcel
- Teams that need highly customized build pipelines, since the README's zero-config approach may limit fine-grained control; check the docs for configuration options
- Non-developers, because it is a command-line build tool aimed at people writing code
- Projects needing features beyond what the README describes; this analysis is limited to the truncated README
Trade-offs
Madge
- Image output requires Graphviz to be installed separately
- The README is truncated here, so details on newer module syntax support are unclear
- Relies on an external dependency-tree library for extraction, so edge cases depend on that library
Parcel
- The README provided is truncated, so the full feature set and edge cases are not verified here
- Latest listed release is v2.16.4 with no binaries; installation is via the npm ecosystem as typical for JavaScript tools
- Zero-config tools can be harder to adjust once a project outgrows defaults
Getting started
Madge
Install madge globally with npm
npm -g install madgeInstall Graphviz on Mac OS X (optional)
brew install graphviz || port install graphvizParcel
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/parcel-bundler/parcelFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Madge and Parcel?
Madge: Draws a graph of your JavaScript module dependencies and finds circular ones. Parcel: A zero-config web build tool that bundles JavaScript, CSS, HTML and other assets. Madge suits javascript developers untangling a large codebase with many imports, while Parcel suits web developers who want a bundler that works without a config file.
Are Madge and Parcel free?
Madge: Free and open source. Parcel: Free and open source.
Is Madge or Parcel more popular?
Parcel has more GitHub stars (44k) than Madge (10.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Madge and Parcel?
Other options people compare them with include Webpack Bundle Analyzer, webpack, Prettier, Stylus, patch-package.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.