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## [TL;DR](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#tldr)

**tsup** is the most popular TypeScript library bundler — zero-config, generates ESM + CJS + `.d.ts` types automatically, used by thousands of npm packages. **tsdown** is the next-generation successor to tsup — built on Rolldown (Vite's Rust-based bundler), significantly faster, same DX but better performance. **unbuild** is from the UnJS ecosystem — supports multiple build presets, stub mode for development (no build step), and is used by Nuxt, Nitro, and UnJS libraries internally. In 2026: tsup is the safe choice with the largest community, tsdown is the emerging performance leader, unbuild if you're in the Nuxt/UnJS ecosystem.

## [Key Takeaways](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#key-takeaways)

- **tsup**: ~6M weekly downloads — esbuild-based, zero-config, ESM + CJS + types in one command
- **tsdown**: ~500K weekly downloads — Rolldown-based (Rust), 3-5x faster than tsup, tsup-compatible API
- **unbuild**: ~3M weekly downloads — UnJS, stub mode, multiple presets, Rollup-based
- All three generate dual ESM/CJS output — required for modern npm packages
- All three generate TypeScript declaration files (`.d.ts`) automatically
- tsdown is rapidly gaining adoption in 2026 as the fast tsup replacement

* * *

## [Why Library Bundling Matters](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#why-library-bundling-matters)

```
Problem: publishing TypeScript to npm requires:
  1. Compile TypeScript → JavaScript
  2. Generate .d.ts type declarations
  3. Create both ESM (import) and CJS (require) versions
  4. Tree-shaking to minimize bundle size
  5. Correct package.json "exports" map

Without a bundler:
  tsc --outDir dist     → CJS only, no bundling
  + manually maintain package.json exports
  + separately configure dts generation
  + no tree-shaking

With tsup/tsdown/unbuild:
  One command → dist/index.mjs + dist/index.cjs + dist/index.d.ts
```

* * *

## [tsup](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#tsup)

[tsup](https://tsup.egoist.dev/) — zero-config library bundler:

### [Setup](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#setup)

```bash
npm install -D tsup typescript

# Add to package.json scripts:
{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsup",
    "dev": "tsup --watch"
  }
}
```

### [tsup.config.ts](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#tsupconfigts)

```typescript
import { defineConfig } from "tsup"

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ["src/index.ts"],      // Entry point(s)
  format: ["esm", "cjs"],       // Output ESM + CommonJS
  dts: true,                    // Generate .d.ts files
  splitting: false,             // Code splitting (for multiple entry points)
  sourcemap: true,              // Generate source maps
  clean: true,                  // Clean dist/ before build
  minify: false,                // Don't minify libraries (let consumers decide)
  external: ["react", "vue"],   // Don't bundle peer dependencies
  treeshake: true,              // Remove unused code
  target: "es2020",             // Output target
  outDir: "dist",
})
```

### [Multiple entry points](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#multiple-entry-points)

```typescript
import { defineConfig } from "tsup"

export default defineConfig({
  // Multiple entry points (for sub-path exports):
  entry: {
    index: "src/index.ts",
    server: "src/server.ts",
    client: "src/client.ts",
  },
  format: ["esm", "cjs"],
  dts: true,
  splitting: true,  // Share code between entry points
})

// Generates:
// dist/index.mjs + dist/index.js + dist/index.d.ts
// dist/server.mjs + dist/server.js + dist/server.d.ts
// dist/client.mjs + dist/client.js + dist/client.d.ts
```

### [package.json for dual ESM/CJS](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#packagejson-for-dual-esmcjs)

```json
{
  "name": "my-library",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "./dist/index.js",        // CJS entry (legacy)
  "module": "./dist/index.mjs",     // ESM entry (bundlers)
  "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",     // TypeScript types
  "exports": {
    ".": {
      "import": {
        "types": "./dist/index.d.mts",
        "default": "./dist/index.mjs"
      },
      "require": {
        "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
        "default": "./dist/index.js"
      }
    },
    "./server": {
      "import": "./dist/server.mjs",
      "require": "./dist/server.js"
    }
  },
  "files": ["dist"],
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsup",
    "prepublishOnly": "npm run build"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "tsup": "^8.0.0",
    "typescript": "^5.0.0"
  }
}
```

### [Watch mode for development](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#watch-mode-for-development)

```bash
# Rebuild on file changes:
tsup --watch

# Or in parallel with your dev server:
# package.json:
{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "concurrently \"tsup --watch\" \"node dist/index.js\""
  }
}
```

* * *

## [tsdown](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#tsdown)

[tsdown](https://tsdown.egoist.dev/) — the Rolldown-based tsup successor:

### [Why tsdown is faster](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#why-tsdown-is-faster)

```
tsup uses: esbuild (Go) → fast, but JS orchestration overhead
tsdown uses: Rolldown (Rust) → faster bundler + faster orchestration

Build time comparison (real-world library with 50 files):
  tsup:    ~2.5s
  tsdown:  ~0.6s
  (varies by project size and machine)
```

### [Setup (nearly identical to tsup)](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#setup-nearly-identical-to-tsup)

```typescript
// tsdown.config.ts
import { defineConfig } from "tsdown"

export default defineConfig({
  entry: ["src/index.ts"],
  format: ["esm", "cjs"],
  dts: true,
  clean: true,
  sourcemap: true,
  external: ["react"],
})
```

```bash
# Commands are the same as tsup:
npx tsdown         # Build
npx tsdown --watch # Watch mode
```

### [tsup → tsdown migration](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#tsup--tsdown-migration)

```bash
# Install:
npm uninstall tsup
npm install -D tsdown

# Rename config file:
mv tsup.config.ts tsdown.config.ts

# Update import:
# - import { defineConfig } from "tsup"
# + import { defineConfig } from "tsdown"

# Update package.json scripts:
# - "build": "tsup"
# + "build": "tsdown"
```

* * *

## [unbuild](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#unbuild)

[unbuild](https://github.com/unjs/unbuild) — UnJS library bundler:

### [Setup](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#setup-1)

```typescript
// build.config.ts
import { defineBuildConfig } from "unbuild"

export default defineBuildConfig({
  entries: ["src/index"],
  rollup: {
    emitCJS: true,   // Also emit CommonJS
  },
  declaration: true, // Generate .d.ts
  clean: true,
})
```

```bash
# Build:
npx unbuild

# Stub mode (development):
npx unbuild --stub
```

### [Stub mode (unique to unbuild)](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#stub-mode-unique-to-unbuild)

```typescript
// "Stub mode" — generates proxy files that require/import the source directly
// No build step needed during development!

// dist/index.mjs (stub):
// export * from "../src/index.ts"

// dist/index.js (stub):
// module.exports = require("../src/index.ts")  // via jiti

// Benefits:
// - No watch mode needed — file changes are picked up immediately
// - Faster feedback loop when developing a library locally
// - Link the package to a consumer with npm link — changes are live

// Production build:
// npx unbuild  ← produces real bundles (no stub)
```

### [Multiple presets](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#multiple-presets)

```typescript
import { defineBuildConfig } from "unbuild"

export default defineBuildConfig([\
  // Main package:\
  {\
    entries: ["src/index"],\
    declaration: true,\
    rollup: { emitCJS: true },\
  },\
  // CLI entry (no types needed):\
  {\
    entries: [{ input: "src/cli", name: "cli" }],\
    declaration: false,\
    rollup: {\
      emitCJS: false,\
      inlineDependencies: true,  // Bundle everything into the CLI binary\
    },\
  },\
])
```

### [Used by the UnJS ecosystem](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#used-by-the-unjs-ecosystem)

```
unbuild is used by:
  - nuxt         → @nuxt/... packages
  - nitro        → the Nuxt server engine
  - h3           → the HTTP framework
  - ofetch       → the fetch wrapper
  - Most @unjs/* packages

If you're contributing to or building in this ecosystem, unbuild
is the natural choice.
```

* * *

## [Feature Comparison](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#feature-comparison)

| Feature | tsup | tsdown | unbuild |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Build engine | esbuild (Go) | Rolldown (Rust) | Rollup (JS) |
| Build speed | Fast | ⚡ Fastest | Moderate |
| ESM + CJS | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| .d.ts generation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stub mode (no build) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Code splitting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| treeshake | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Plugin ecosystem | esbuild plugins | Rolldown plugins | Rollup plugins |
| TypeScript config | tsup.config.ts | tsdown.config.ts | build.config.ts |
| Community size | ⭐ Large | Growing fast | Medium |
| Weekly downloads | ~6M | ~500K | ~3M |

* * *

## [When to Use Each](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#when-to-use-each)

**Choose tsup if:**

- The safe, battle-tested choice — most tutorials and examples use it
- Large community, most Stack Overflow answers, most plugins
- Works for 95% of library use cases out of the box

**Choose tsdown if:**

- Build speed is a priority (large libraries, frequent CI builds)
- You're migrating from tsup — API is nearly identical
- On the cutting edge of tooling in 2026

**Choose unbuild if:**

- Working in the Nuxt, Nitro, or UnJS ecosystem
- Want stub mode for instant development without watch rebuilds
- Need Rollup-specific plugins not available in esbuild/Rolldown

**Also consider:**

- **Vite Library Mode** — for libraries that need Vite plugins (CSS modules, etc.)
- **pkgroll** — minimal bundler for packages with simple needs
- **microbundle** — smaller alternative, but less actively maintained in 2026

* * *

## [Methodology](https://www.pkgpulse.com/blog/tsup-vs-tsdown-vs-unbuild-typescript-library-bundling-2026\#methodology)

Download data from npm registry (weekly average, February 2026). Feature comparison based on tsup v8.x, tsdown v0.x, and unbuild v2.x.

_[Compare build tooling and bundler packages on PkgPulse →](https://www.pkgpulse.com/)_

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