Advanced Vite Config: Aliases, Proxies, and Custom Settings Quiz Quiz

Challenge your understanding of advanced Vite configuration concepts such as aliases, HTTP proxy setups, and customizing build and server settings. This quiz is designed for developers seeking to refine their skills with Vite's advanced features and settings.

1. Path Aliases in Vite

   Which of the following is the correct way to configure a path alias '@components' to resolve to './src/components' in a Vite project?

   1. Adding an alias object to the root of the config file
   2. Using the 'resolve.alias' property in the configuration file
   3. Setting an alias in the 'plugins' array
   4. Using 'server.proxy' to set the alias path

   Explanation: Path aliases in Vite are set via the 'resolve.alias' property in the config file, allowing for custom import paths. The 'server.proxy' property is intended for network request proxying, not module path resolution. Adding an alias at the root level or within 'plugins' will not properly configure a path alias, as these locations are not designed for this setting.

2. Setting Up an HTTP Proxy

   Suppose you want your Vite development server to proxy API requests from '/api' to 'http://localhost:5000'. Which config property should you use?

   1. 'server.proxy'
   2. 'resolve.alias'
   3. 'build.proxy'
   4. 'server.apiProxy'

   Explanation: 'server.proxy' is the correct property in the configuration for defining proxy rules to forward specific requests during development. 'resolve.alias' is unrelated and meant for file path resolution. 'server.apiProxy' and 'build.proxy' are not valid configuration keys in Vite, so they will not achieve the desired proxy behavior.

3. Customizing the Output Directory

   If you want your built files to output to a directory named 'dist-custom' instead of the default, which configuration option should you modify?

   1. 'build.outDir'
   2. 'server.outDir'
   3. 'resolve.outDir'
   4. 'output.dir'

   Explanation: You should update the 'build.outDir' property to customize the output directory for build artifacts. The 'server.outDir', 'output.dir', and 'resolve.outDir' are not recognized options in the configuration for this purpose, so using them will not change the build output directory.

4. Alias Resolution Priority

   If multiple path aliases could match an import in Vite (e.g., '@' and '@libs'), which alias does Vite use?

   1. All matching aliases are merged
   2. The most specific (longest match) alias
   3. The alias with alphabetical priority
   4. The first alias defined in the array

   Explanation: Vite resolves the most specific alias, meaning the longest matching string is chosen to avoid ambiguity. Choosing the first alias in the array is not guaranteed and may not yield the correct resolution. Alphabetical order is not a factor, and merging multiple aliases does not occur in this context.

5. Environment Variables and Mode

   Given multiple environment files (e.g., '.env', '.env.production'), how does Vite determine which variables to load when running the build command with no explicit '--mode' flag?

   1. It uses only '.env'
   2. It uses all files with the '.env.*' pattern
   3. It uses '.env' and '.env.production' automatically
   4. It only uses '.env.local'

   Explanation: When no '--mode' is specified, Vite defaults to development mode and loads variables from '.env'. It does not load '.env.production' unless the '--mode production' flag is set. Loading all '.env.*' files or only '.env.local' is incorrect, as these are read based on specific modes and priorities.