17

I noticed that there is always a "min" version (stands for mini?) for most JavaScript libraries (e.g., jQuery).

What is the difference? Less functionality but smaller size?

Is this something someone should consider using? (There are a lot of min versions out there.)

Andrew Myers
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ajsie
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9 Answers9

16

The functionality is exactly the same - just open the minified and the "normal" versions in a text editor and you'll see the difference.

The min-Versions are just there to provide reduced filesize, to save you bandwith and traffic ;-)

Leo
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10

...in computer programming languages and especially JavaScript, is the process of removing all unnecessary characters from source code, without changing its functionality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minification_(programming)

Sampson
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7

Its been "minified". All the functionaility is there, just in a minified version that is smaller for saving transfer bandwidth.

Things to become "minified":

  • Remvoing whitespace
  • Renaming some variables - such as function-scoped variables, not function names.

Here is an example

function myFunction(someReallyLongParamName)
{
    someReallyCrazyName = someReallyLongParamName;
}

could be come

function myFunction(a){b=a;}
Daniel A. White
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3

Minified versions just have whitespace removed, to make them faster to download. Otherwise, they are identical.

Steve Cooper
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2

no, exactly the same function, the text has been minimized to reduce the download, this means you cant really debug in it but you do get the same functionality

Pharabus
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  • you mean i cant open the file and read it? of course i dont want to...if i would like to i just download the real instead of including it in every html header? or have i missed the point? – ajsie Jan 15 '10 at 13:12
  • you can open it and read it, it is just not very readable :) usually the none min file is used for development, the min file for production. – Pharabus Jan 15 '10 at 13:26
2

Smaller size because all of the white space is removed from the file. Just open both files in text editor and you will see.

Jeremy H
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2

This is a version of jQuery that has a smaller file size (minified). Same functions, just a smaller file that the browser has to download.

Tim S. Van Haren
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1

same functions...smaller size. Think of it as poor mans compression. They simply remove all unneccessary whitespace.

Vincent Ramdhanie
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0

If you look at jquery.com you'll usually see the minified version is classified as the "production" version. Other than that, as others have said, they're the same file, one larger (byte size) than the other.

Tinker
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