> From: motob > > Besides file size, what is the difference between a .min and > .pack version of a js file? I see this a lot with the various > plugins and jquery library. What are the pitfalls and > benefits of using each?
A minified file (JSMin) is directly executable code, just like the original source. A packed file (Dean Edwards' Packer) requires an unpacking step before it can be run. This happens automatically but takes some time. A packed file is usually smaller than a minified file, but you have to balance that against the unpacking time - and the unpacking process has to be run every time a page using the file is loaded, even if it is already in the browser cache. -Mike
