[wp-hackers] Packing JavaScript

[Charles]

> The *only* point of packing javascript is to reduce filesize and
> thus reduce bandwidth usage.

Another plus is speed benefits for end users.

> It is not possible to create a packing system that works on all
> javascript code all the time.

For simple packing systems, that's absolutely true.

"Real" JavaScript compressors like YUI Compressor (which use a "real"
JavaScript parser) are perfectly reliable with good code, in my experience.

> Bandwidth reduction is often better achieved by compression, and
> this is arguably a server side thing to do.

JavaScript compression complements generic text compression nicely.  I use
"SetOutputFilter DEFLATE", and that works very well.

Anyway, the combination of (1) JavaScript compression, (2) generic
server-side text compression and (3) file-combining is the norm, not the
exception, for sites that uses JavaScript for anything more serious than
roll-overs.

-- Charles