babel-plugin-bulk-import

2.0.0 verified Fri May 01 auth: no javascript maintenance

Babel plugin (v2.0.0) that transforms glob-based import paths (e.g., `import * as Features from './features/*.js'`) into explicit per-module imports at build time. Designed to solve the problem of dynamically discovering modules in a directory while ensuring webpack bundles them correctly for client-side applications. Uses node-glob for path resolution. Not actively maintained (last release 2017). Key differentiator: enables automatic module registration without runtime dynamic imports, avoiding webpack dead-code elimination. Alternatives include `babel-plugin-wildcard` or manual `require.context` with webpack.

Common errors

error Error: Cannot find module 'glob' ↓

cause glob is a peer dependency not included automatically.

fix

Install glob: npm install glob --save-dev or --save

error SyntaxError: Unexpected token * ↓

cause Using wildcard import without the Babel plugin active.

fix

Ensure babel-plugin-bulk-import is added to the plugins list in .babelrc.

error Module parse failed: Unexpected character '*' ↓

cause Webpack encountered wildcard import before Babel transpilation.

fix

Ensure the webpack config processes the file with Babel (e.g., use babel-loader) and the plugin is configured.

Warnings

gotcha Named imports from wildcard paths may resolve to undefined if the path matches nested directories without matching files. ↓

fix Ensure the glob pattern directly matches files, not directories. Use `**/*.js` for recursion but verify file structure.

deprecated Plugin has not been updated since 2017 and may not work with Babel 7+ or modern module systems. ↓

fix Consider alternative plugins like babel-plugin-wildcard or use webpack's require.context.

gotcha The plugin adds 'node_modules/' prefix to imports from node_modules, resulting in nested objects. ↓

fix Avoid wildcard imports from node_modules; they cause unexpected nesting and potential bundle bloat.

Install

npm install babel-plugin-bulk-import

yarn add babel-plugin-bulk-import

pnpm add babel-plugin-bulk-import

Imports

default (plugin)

wrong

require('babel-plugin-bulk-import') in .babelrc

correct

in .babelrc: {"plugins": ["babel-plugin-bulk-import"]}

Babel plugins are referenced by string name, not required.

import * as all from './path/*.js'
wrong
```
import all from './features/*.js'
```
correct
```
import * as all from './features/*.js'
```
Wildcard imports must use namespace syntax (`* as name`). Default import not supported.
import { named } from './path/*.js'
wrong
```
import { featureA as moduleA } from './features/*.js'
```
correct
```
import { featureA } from './features/*.js'
```
Named imports with aliasing work but careful with collisions; subdirectory structure may cause unexpected undefined values.

Quickstart

Configures .babelrc, creates a module with CJS export, and uses wildcard import to collect all modules from a directory.

// .babelrc
{
  "presets": ["@babel/preset-env"],
  "plugins": ["babel-plugin-bulk-import"]
}

// features/featureA.js
module.exports = { feature: 'A' };

// src/index.js
import * as Features from '../features/*.js';
console.log(Features); // { featureA: { feature: 'A' } }