Import maps
A browser feature (<script type="importmap">) for mapping "bare name" imports (import x from "lodash") to actual URLs. It lets you use clean module names in the browser without a bundler, and control exactly which version/URL each name points to.
Problem: in the browser, ES-module imports must point to a URL or a relative path — import { foo } from "library" (a "bare specifier" without a path) doesn't work directly; it's bundlers (Vite, webpack) that resolve such names. Import maps give the browser the same ability: a JSON map that says "library": "https://cdn.../library.js", so clean names work natively. Use case: build-less development (use clean imports directly against a CDN), centrally control versions, remap to local copies, or pin exact URLs. Win: you can write idiomatic module code without a build step, and you have a single place to change where dependencies are fetched. Widely supported since ~2023. Part of the "fewer build tools needed" trend. Related to ES modules in the browser and dynamic import.