Single Go binary · Linux · macOS · Windows
The frontend toolchain for server-rendered apps.
One binary. One .ini. No Node.js. Packly downloads your frontend dependencies, compiles your Sass, and leaves your HTML alone.
How it works
Declare. Install. Build.
Three steps, nothing hidden. Every file Packly produces is one you asked for, in a folder you chose.
1. Declare
List the URLs of your frontend dependencies in one packly.ini file: CDN files or ZIP archives, pinned to the version you want.
2. Install
packly install downloads them into your project once. They are vendored locally and served from your own server.
3. Build
packly build copies your assets to public/build/ and compiles your Sass. Add --watch and it rebuilds on every change.
Why Packly
Made for server-rendered apps.
Your backend renders the HTML. You only need your CSS and JavaScript files in the right place, not a JavaScript build system.
No Node.js
No node_modules, no package.json, no JavaScript toolchain to keep updated. One binary in your PATH.
Any backend
PHP with or without a framework, Symfony, legacy apps, Go, Django, Flask. Packly only downloads, copies and compiles files into a folder.
Sass built in
Name a dart-sass version. Packly fetches the official binary for your OS and compiles your stylesheets, minified by default.
Your HTML stays yours
No generated import maps, no injected tags. You write your own <link>, <script> and import map.
Compare
Like AssetMapper or importmap-rails, without the framework.
Those tools proved that server-rendered apps do not need Node.js. Packly does the same job for any backend, as one binary.
| npm + Vite / Webpack | Symfony AssetMapper | importmap-rails | Packly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime | Node.js | PHP, Symfony | Ruby, Rails | Single Go binary |
| Framework | Any | Symfony only | Rails only | Any |
| Sass | Loader or plugin | With SassBundle | Separate gem | Built in, dart-sass fetched for your OS |
| Import map | Not used | Generated for you | Generated for you | You write it |
| Bundling | Yes | No | No | No, by design |
Scope
What Packly will never do
A single Go file you can read in one sitting stays a tool you can trust. Packly will not grow into another bundler.
- bundle your JavaScript
- tree-shake
- parse your code
- inject tags into your HTML
- load plugins
- require a JS config file
Get Packly
One download. Five platforms.
Linux x64 and ARM64, macOS Intel and Apple Silicon, Windows x64. Download the binary, put it in your PATH, and you are ready.