Vite 5 not importing scss variables

FITFLOP

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01-10-2024

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Trouble Importing SCSS Variables in Vite 5? Here's the Solution!

Vite 5 is a lightning-fast development server for building modern web applications, but sometimes it can throw you a curveball. One common issue encountered is the inability to import SCSS variables into your components. Let's dive into the root of this problem and discover how to fix it effortlessly.

Scenario:

You're working on a Vite 5 project, meticulously crafting your styles in SCSS. You've defined your global variables in a file like variables.scss, and you're trying to use them in your components like this:

// App.vue
<template>
  <div class="container">Hello, world!</div>
</template>

<style lang="scss">
  @import './variables.scss';

  .container {
    background-color: $primary-color;
  }
</style>

However, when you run your application, you find that $primary-color isn't being applied. Your container element retains its default background color. This is where the problem lies.

The Root of the Issue:

Vite 5, by default, processes your SCSS files using the css module, which doesn't inherently support global variable imports. This is because the css module is designed for generating scoped styles within individual components.

Solution: Utilizing PostCSS

The solution is straightforward: leverage the power of PostCSS to enable global variable imports in your SCSS files. PostCSS is a mature tool for transforming CSS, and it offers excellent support for SCSS.

Here's how to implement it:

1. Install PostCSS:

   npm install postcss postcss-import postcss-scss -D
   

2. Configure Vite:

   In your vite.config.js file, add the following:

   import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
   import postcss from 'postcss';
   import autoprefixer from 'autoprefixer';
   import postcssImport from 'postcss-import';
   import postcssScss from 'postcss-scss';
   
   export default defineConfig({
     css: {
       postcss: {
         plugins: [
           postcssImport(),
           postcssScss(),
           autoprefixer(),
         ],
       },
     },
   });
   

   This setup tells Vite to use PostCSS with the postcss-import and postcss-scss plugins. autoprefixer is an optional plugin to automatically add vendor prefixes for browser compatibility.

Explanation:

• postcss-import: This plugin allows you to use @import statements to import your SCSS variables.
• postcss-scss: This plugin ensures correct SCSS syntax parsing and processing.

Benefits of This Solution:

• Global Variable Accessibility: You can now use your SCSS variables consistently across your entire application.
• Improved Maintainability: Centralized variable management simplifies style updates and ensures consistency.
• Enhanced Readability: Separating your styles and variables promotes cleaner, more readable code.

Example:

Let's revisit our previous example with the implemented solution:

// App.vue
<template>
  <div class="container">Hello, world!</div>
</template>

<style lang="scss">
  @import './variables.scss';

  .container {
    background-color: $primary-color;
  }
</style>

After configuring Vite, you can now see the background color of the container element being set to the value of your $primary-color variable.

In Conclusion:

Vite 5 offers a streamlined development experience, but understanding the intricacies of how it handles SCSS is crucial. By leveraging PostCSS, you can easily overcome the issue of importing SCSS variables and enjoy the benefits of a well-organized and consistent style system.