Scripts: Builds should include source maps by default

[kkmuffme]

What?

gutenberg builds should include source maps by default

Why?

There is no reason production builds should not include sourcemaps - without sourcemaps, debugging the error or - for users - reporting errors is not possible, making the website and the web in general less accessible

• analogous to Generate sourcemap for production plugin builds #33718
• Fix: @wordpress/scripts: sourcemap missing in builds #44278
• Fix: WP_DEVTOOL #41551

How?

Making the WP_DEVTOOL not conditional on isProduction
Sourcemaps can still be disabled, by explicitly setting WP_DEVTOOL to none

Testing Instructions

npm run build to create the bundled js, which will now include a .map file

[noahtallen]

I agree with this change, but we should get more approvals and a rebase before merging

[kkmuffme]

Rebased

[gziolo]

@noahtallen and @kkmuffme, there is also #46812 opened that takes a slightly different approach. As far as I understand, the other one keeps the old behavior by default but lets folks customize the setting when necessary, like in this PR. The alternative seems like a safer bet, but I would like to hear from you both what do you prefer.

[kkmuffme]

@gziolo we discussed & concluded somewhere (it's been too long, so I'd have to search it) that it's better to enable sourcemaps by default, since they make the web more accessible and are required so end users can report errors too
Additionally, there is no harm/downside to having sourcemaps by default, so I think changing the default behavior to include sourcemaps (= this PR) is the right way to go.

[noahtallen]

I tend to agree with @kkmuffme, but I do think this would be a breaking change for @wordpress/scripts, so I didn't want to merge that without more feedback :)

[gziolo]

I tend to agree with @kkmuffme, but I do think this would be a breaking change for @wordpress/scripts, so I didn't want to merge that without more feedback :)

#46812 definitely feels like a safer bet. Here, we need to assess for some scenarios:

• people don't include source maps from WordPress plugins and themes, but they are listed in the outputted source files. Technically, it doesn't break anything as far as I can tell.
• creating source maps slows down the build, but in majority of cases it shouldn't be a concern
• how can people opt out of creating source maps?

[kkmuffme]

people don't include source maps from WordPress plugins and themes, but they are listed in the outputted source files. Technically, it doesn't break anything as far as I can tell.

Can you clarify what you mean, bc I am not sure I understand it.

creating source maps slows down the build, but in majority of cases it shouldn't be a concern

Since there is not a single benchmark to be found about how much sourcemaps slow down a build, this isn't a concern for anyone.

how can people opt out of creating source maps?

They can't.
The only reason to not have sourcemaps at all is if you want to "hide"/obfuscate your code, which in my opinion isn't something we should be supporting in the WP ecosystem, as it goes against the core values of WordPress. (and if you really want to do that, you can delete them anyways)
Otherwise, at some point, we will end up with obfuscated PHP too (which is common in the Magento ecosystem for example)

This already is an issue now, if you look at some plugins on woocommerce.com, where the source files + maps are missing (e.g. .coffee, .ts,...) but you get them on request (= makes WP less accessible). An even bigger issue though are popular plugins that do this, where the devs do not provide the source files (and/or maps) at all, e.g. wpml,... These become non-extendable and, should they not be developed anymore, not usable/updateable anymore.

In any way though, you can use DEVTOOL with value hidden-source-map if, for some reason, this is a concern for you (but still get the stacks from the map)