Vite Module Federation — Plugin Comparison

A feature-by-feature comparison of three Vite Module Federation plugins. The comparison is based on npm package metadata, published package source, shipped docs, and this repository's local tests.

For @module-federation/vite@1.15.4, this table counts the official Vite adapter plus two runtime packages: @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 and @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0. When a feature is available through those lower-level runtime APIs or an optional official runtime plugin rather than as a turnkey Vite-adapter helper, the cell says so explicitly. Optional runtime plugins are noted as separate installs; they are not counted as adapter defaults. npm also publishes @module-federation/core@1.0.0-canary.1. That package is not in @module-federation/vite@1.15.4's dependency graph. No comparison claim below relies on it.

Symbol	Meaning
✅	First-class support (documented + tested)
🟡	Partial / lower-level API / optional plugin
❌	Not supported
n/a	Not applicable to that plugin's design

Sources were rechecked against the package versions below on 2026-05-13. Footnote markers like [1] refer to the evidence notes at the bottom of this document.

---

At a Glance

	vite-plugin-federation (this repo)	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Reviewed version	1.0.0 [1]	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4, runtime@2.4.0, runtime-core@2.4.0; @module-federation/core@1.0.0-canary.1 is not in this adapter dependency graph [2]	1.4.1 [3]
Vite peer range	^5 || ^6 || ^7 || ^8 [1]	^5 || ^6 || ^7 || ^8 [2]	not declared (devDep ^4.0.5) [3]
Rolldown / Vite 8	✅ first-class compiler adapter	✅ supported	❌ not targeted
Underlying MF runtime	@module-federation/runtime@2.3.3 (wrapped + extended)	@module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 + @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0	hand-rolled (virtual:__federation__)
Manifest protocol	✅ mf-manifest.json + mf-stats.json + mf-debug.json	✅ mf-manifest.json + mf-stats.json, including ssrRemoteEntry meta	❌ none
Curated runtime entry	✅ vite-plugin-federation/runtime [1]	🟡 import lower-level helpers from @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0	❌ (virtual:__federation__ only)
Dev mode for remotes	✅ classified updates: partial, style, types, full	🟡 React native HMR path + WS/reconnect; full reload fallback [2]	❌ remote must be vite build --watch
SSR (Node)	✅ separate SSR entry + createServerFederationInstance	🟡 target: 'node' + ssrRemoteEntry metadata; no server helper	❌
OriginJS migration shim	✅ virtual:__federation__ compat layer enabled by default	❌	n/a (it is this API)

---

1. Module Federation Core

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
name / filename	✅	✅	✅
exposes	✅	✅	✅
remotes	✅ (string or object form, manifest-first URLs)	✅	✅
shared	✅	✅	✅
Custom shareScope	✅	✅	✅ [3]
Multiple scopes / runtime keys	✅ createFederationRuntimeScope [4]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 instances/share scopes; no tenant runtimeKey wrapper	❌
Runtime plugins (registerPlugins)	✅ runtimePlugins option + re-exported [5]	✅ runtimePlugins option + @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 registerPlugins [2]	❌ (no runtime plugin system)
Custom compiler adapter / compat: { originjs, virtualFederationShim }	✅ [6]	❌	❌
from: 'vite' | 'webpack' normalization	✅ (one-time MFV-007 warning on unknown)	❌	✅ legacy field

2. Remote Formats

Format	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
esm / module	✅ primary	✅ primary	✅ primary
var (browser global)	✅ via varFilename [6]	✅ via varFilename	✅ via loadJS() script tag
systemjs / system	✅ runtime-guarded; throws MFV-005 if System.import missing [6]	🟡 generated bootstrap has globalThis.System.import fallback; no OriginJS format: 'systemjs' shim [2]	✅ same code path as esm
Manifest-first remote URL (https://.../mf-manifest.json)	✅ recommended path	✅	❌
Webpack-built remote consumed by Vite host	✅ via compat e2e (webpack library.type: 'system' remote) [6]	✅ vite-webpack-rspack e2e [12]	✅ legacy from: 'webpack' examples [13]
CommonJS browser remote	❌ unsupported by design (use SSR/ESM instead)	❌	❌

3. Shared Dependencies

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
singleton	✅	✅	❌ (commented out in public types) [3]
eager	❌ plugin config (@module-federation/runtime@2.3.3 can register it)	❌ plugin config (@module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 can register it)	❌ (commented out in public types) [3]
strictVersion	✅	✅	❌
requiredVersion (semver range)	✅	✅	✅ (custom satisfy impl)
Version negotiation across remotes	✅ via @module-federation/runtime@2.3.3	✅ via @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0	🟡 first-match only
Workspace / scoped shares (react/, pnpm symlinks)	✅ allowNodeModulesSuffixMatch [4]	🟡 workspace e2e; no documented suffix matching [12]	❌
Host-only shares (import: false)	✅ explicit MFV-003 on miss [4]	🟡 supported in types/tests/examples; sparse README docs [12]	❌
Strict-singleton fallback policy	✅ recorded in sharedResolutionGraph [4]	❌	❌
bundleAllCSS option	✅ option + per-expose CSS modes [4]	✅ option	❌
Shared module preload (<link rel="preload">)	✅ via preload plan API	✅ @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 preloadRemote + manifest asset analysis [2]	✅ modulePreload flag

4. Exposes & Named Exports

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Default export	✅	✅	✅
Named exports (import { foo } from 'remote/x')	✅ — Rolldown-aware via pluginRemoteNamedExports rewrite [6]	✅ Rollup syntheticNamedExports; Rolldown limited	🟡 single-import only
Per-expose CSS injection mode ('head' | 'manual' | 'none')	✅ [4]	🟡 single global bundleAllCSS	✅ dontAppendStylesToHead (per-expose)
Custom expose chunk name (exposes[].name)	❌	❌	✅ [3]
varFilename for additional var-style entry	✅	✅	n/a

5. Dev Experience

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Dev server for host	✅	✅	✅
Dev server for remote (no rebuild)	✅ — sidecar dev runtime [4]	✅	❌ remote must vite build --watch [3]
Remote-change HMR signal to host	✅ classified updates: partial, style, types, full [4]	🟡 React native strategy; WS metadata/reconnect; full reload fallback [2]	❌
Batched / coalesced updates	✅ [4]	❌	❌
Live .d.ts sync (no reload)	✅ via dts-plugin dev worker + WS [4]	🟡 dev worker present; no local e2e found	❌
Dynamic remote-type hints injection	✅ option	✅ via @module-federation/dts-plugin	❌
Dev top-level-await proxy	✅	✅	n/a
Dev manifest endpoint(s)	✅	✅ served at configured manifest filename (default /mf-manifest.json) [2]	❌

6. TypeScript / DTS

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Auto .d.ts generation for exposes	✅ via @module-federation/dts-plugin@2.3.3	✅ via @module-federation/dts-plugin@2.4.0	❌ (hand-written types only)
@mf-types.zip artifact	✅	✅	❌
Manifest-derived type URL on host	✅ + remoteTypeUrls override [4]	✅	❌
typesOnBuild: true (fail build on missing types)	✅	✅	❌
Hot type updates in dev (no reload)	✅	🟡 dev worker exists; no local e2e found	❌

7. SSR (Node)

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
target: 'web' | 'node' resolution	✅ (auto from build.ssr, ENV_TARGET define) [6]	✅ same mechanism	❌
Dedicated ssrRemoteEntry artifact	✅ separate file emitted	🟡 metaData.ssrRemoteEntry emitted; 1.15.4 aliases it to remoteEntry [2]	❌
Server runtime instance API (createServerFederationInstance)	✅ [4]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 createInstance; no server-specific helper	❌
Asset-preload collection for streaming HTML	✅ collectFederationManifestPreloadLinks [4]	🟡 manifest assetAnalysis + runtime preload; no streaming link collector	❌
Hydration-safe module-preload helper	✅ short-circuits when document is undefined [6]	✅ similar patch	❌
Required Node flags	--experimental-vm-modules [4]	n/a	n/a

8. Production Runtime (host loader)

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Manifest remote loading API	✅ loadRemoteFromManifest() [4]	✅ manifest remotes via @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 loadRemote [2]	❌
Cache TTL / staleWhileRevalidate / force refresh	✅ [4]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0 manifest cache exists; no TTL/SWR wrapper [2]	❌
Retry with jitter + timeout	✅ [4]	🟡 separately installable official @module-federation/retry-plugin@2.4.0; no adapter default [2]	❌
Fallback URLs	✅ records effective sourceUrl	🟡 separately installable @module-federation/retry-plugin@2.4.0 domain / manifest-domain rotation [2]	❌
Circuit breaker (failureThreshold, cooldownMs)	✅ [4]	❌	❌
Concurrent-fetch request collapsing	✅ [4]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0 global loading / manifest loading maps [2]	❌
Integrity verification (SRI / SHA-256, multi-mode)	✅ verifyFederationManifestAssets [7]	❌	❌
Private / authenticated manifests (fetchInit, custom fetch)	✅ [7]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0 loaderHook.fetch; optional retry plugin fetchOptions requires separate install [2]	❌
Signed manifest workflow	✅ documented + custom-fetch hook [7]	❌	❌
CSP / Trusted Types guidance	✅ [7]	❌	❌

9. Multi-Tenant / Scoping

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Per-tenant runtimeKey scope	✅ createFederationRuntimeScope(runtimeKey) [8]	❌	❌
Tenant-isolated manifest cache	✅	🟡 possible with separate @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 instances; no runtimeKey cache partition	❌
Tenant-isolated circuit breaker / debug records	✅	❌	❌
Per-tenant shareScope	✅	✅ (one global scope per plugin instance)	✅ (same)

10. Preload & Performance

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Route-aware preload plan	✅ createFederationManifestPreloadPlan [9]	❌	❌
Async-chunk preload policy ('css' | 'none' | 'js' | 'all')	✅ [9]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 preloadRemote filters/resource categories [2]	❌
Remote warming (warmFederationRemotes)	✅ [9]	✅ @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 preloadRemote [2]	❌
Per-remote load metrics (registration / load / total)	✅ [9]	❌	❌
Manifest-declared route hints	✅	❌	❌

11. Observability & DevTools

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Dev devtools panel + browser events	✅ pluginDevtools.ts [4]	❌	❌
getFederationDebugInfo() snapshot	✅ (instance, manifests, fetch timeline, integrity, breaker, metrics, shared graph) [4]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0 exposes globalThis.__FEDERATION__, snapshots, and debug constructor; no same helper [2]	❌
Telemetry hooks (manifestFetch, remoteRegister, remoteLoad, remoteRefresh)	✅ [4]	🟡 runtime hooks such as loaderHook.fetch, registerRemote, onLoad, errorLoadRemote; no same named telemetry API / remoteRefresh [2]	❌
Stable error codes (MFV-001 … MFV-007)	✅ [10]	🟡 @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 has its own error codes; not MFV-*	❌ generic strings
mf-debug.json build artifact	✅	❌	❌

12. Security

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Subresource integrity in manifest	✅ [7]	❌	❌
Content-hash verification	✅ multi-mode (prefer-integrity, integrity, content-hash, both)	❌	❌
CSP / nonce friendly browser builds	✅ documented; browser target avoids inline scripts [7]	🟡 similar target tree-shaking	🟡 script-tag legacy paths need review
Trusted Types support	✅ documented	❌	❌
Signed manifest pattern	✅ via fetch wrapper	❌	❌

13. Compiler / Build Adapter

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Rollup output handling	✅	✅	✅
Rolldown output handling (Vite 8)	✅ separate rolldownOptions path + getRolldownOptions rewrite [6]	✅ separate rolldownOptions path	❌
Top-level-await deadlock prevention (CJS-proxy helper inlining)	✅ two-pass generateBundle [6]	✅ same algorithm (forked here)	n/a
runtimeInit + loadShare chunk isolation	✅ enforced (rejects user manualChunks that conflict, with warning) [6]	✅ same	n/a
Module-preload helper rewrite to import.meta.url (so cross-origin remote chunks resolve correctly)	✅ covers Vite 8, esbuild, terser, arrow + function form [6]	✅ same	🟡 partial
commonjsOptions.strictRequires: 'auto' defaulting	✅	✅	❌
output.codeSplitting.groups guard (Vite 8)	✅	✅	n/a

14. OriginJS Compatibility

Capability	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
virtual:__federation__ shim	✅ enabled by default; toggle via compat.virtualFederationShim [11]	❌	n/a (it is the API)
__federation_method_setRemote / getRemote / ensure / unwrap / wrap	✅ all five	❌	✅
Normalizes OriginJS ./Button → remote/Button	✅	❌	n/a
dontAppendStylesToHead → css.inject: 'manual' mapping	✅	❌	✅ native
Drop-in adoption from OriginJS apps	✅ + e2e validates a Vite host loading a webpack systemjs remote through the shim [11]	❌ requires rewrite	n/a

15. Public API Surface

vite-plugin-federation (this repo)

// Build-time plugin
import federation, { type ModuleFederationOptions } from 'vite-plugin-federation';

// Production runtime helpers (curated subpath export)
import {
  createFederationInstance,
  createServerFederationInstance,
  createFederationRuntimeScope,
  fetchFederationManifest,
  registerManifestRemote,
  registerManifestRemotes,
  loadRemoteFromManifest,
  refreshRemote,
  warmFederationRemotes,
  preloadRemote,
  createFederationManifestPreloadPlan,
  collectFederationManifestPreloadLinks,
  verifyFederationManifestAssets,
  getFederationDebugInfo,
  clearFederationRuntimeCaches,
  // re-exports of @module-federation/runtime@2.3.3
  registerPlugins,
  registerRemotes,
  registerShared,
  loadRemote,
  loadShare,
  loadShareSync,
} from 'vite-plugin-federation/runtime';

@module-federation/vite@1.15.4

import { federation } from '@module-federation/vite';
// Reviewed runtime API package: @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0
import { loadRemote, registerRemotes } from '@module-federation/runtime';

@originjs/vite-plugin-federation

import federation from '@originjs/vite-plugin-federation';
import {
  __federation_method_ensure,
  __federation_method_getRemote,
  __federation_method_setRemote,
  __federation_method_unwrapDefault,
  __federation_method_wrapDefault,
} from 'virtual:__federation__';

16. Test & Example Surface

Surface	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Unit tests	✅ vitest	✅ vitest	✅ vitest
Integration tests (build pipeline)	✅	✅ (integration/)	🟡
Browser e2e (Playwright)	✅ 6 configs: default, compat, multi-remote, shared, ssr, browser-matrix	✅ vite-vite + vite-webpack-rspack	✅
SSR e2e	✅	❌	❌
Browser matrix	✅ Chromium / Firefox / WebKit	❌ Chromium only	❌
Vite peer-version smoke	✅ packed tarball builds and runs against Vite 5 / 6 / 7 / 8	✅ CI integration matrix Vite 5 / 6 / 7 / 8; examples include 6 / 7 / 8 [12]	❌ Vite 4-focused
Webpack-remote interop e2e	✅ examples/webpack-systemjs-remote through compat shim	✅ vite-webpack-rspack [12]	✅ webpack/SystemJS examples [13]
Workspace / pnpm-symlink shared	✅ examples/workspace-shared-*	✅ @vite-vite/shared-lib e2e [12]	❌
DTS hot-sync e2e	✅ e2e/dts-dev-hot-sync.mjs	❌	❌

---

17. Ecosystem, Options & Governance

Surface	vite-plugin-federation	@module-federation/vite@1.15.4	@originjs/vite-plugin-federation
Framework examples	✅ React / Vue / Svelte / Lit / SSR / DTS / workspace [4]	🟡 local examples cover Vite/Vite, Vite/Webpack/Rspack, runtime-register, Rust/Rsbuild; broader ecosystem examples are not bundled here [12]	✅ Vue / React / Rollup / Webpack examples [13]
@module-federation/vite@1.15.4 options	✅ baseline options plus runtime / SSR / compat extensions	✅ baseline adapter options [12]	❌ legacy option model
Migration docs	✅ OriginJS + @module-federation/vite@1.15.4 guides [4]	🟡 README/examples, no migration guide in 1.15.4 package [12]	🟡 legacy docs, no MF-runtime guide [13]
License	MIT [14]	MIT [14]	MulanPSL-2.0 [14]

---

When to Choose Which

Pick vite-plugin-federation (this repo) when…

• You need production-oriented host loading with cache TTL, retries, circuit breaker, fallback URLs, and integrity verification.
• You ship to multiple tenants on the same page and need scoped manifest caches and share scopes.
• You serve SSR (React, Vinext, etc.) and need a server-aware federation instance with asset-preload collection.
• You want stable error codes (MFV-NNN) and a debug snapshot for ops.
• You're migrating off OriginJS and want the legacy virtual:__federation__ API to keep working while you move to manifest-first config.
• You target Vite 8 + Rolldown today.

Pick @module-federation/vite@1.15.4 when…

• You're already in the @module-federation/* ecosystem and want a thin, official Vite adapter whose runtime semantics exactly match @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 defaults.
• You value the broader @module-federation/* ecosystem examples and are comfortable importing runtime helpers directly from @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0.
• You're comfortable composing lower-level @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 / @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0 APIs and optional official runtime plugins for resilience instead of using this repo's built-in policy wrapper.
• You want the smallest MF-runtime-based adapter surface that still produces a manifest.

Pick @originjs/vite-plugin-federation when…

• You have an existing app already on OriginJS and don't yet need dev mode for remotes (e.g., remotes are deployed as built artifacts and the host is the only thing under active dev).
• You rely on OriginJS's legacy format / from / externalType model or its webpack/SystemJS examples.
• You can't add the @module-federation/runtime@2.3.3 dependency (e.g., the project disallows new runtime deps), and the lack of singleton / strictVersion negotiation is acceptable.
• You're targeting Vite 4 specifically.

If you're starting a new micro-frontend in 2026 on Vite 5+, the OriginJS plugin's "remote must be vite build --watch" constraint and lack of a shared-version negotiator make it the wrong default for new code.

---

Migration Notes

• From @originjs/vite-plugin-federation → vite-plugin-federation: the virtual:__federation__ API works unchanged; map dontAppendStylesToHead: true to css.inject: 'manual' (or leave it — the shim normalizes both). See docs/originjs-migration.md and examples/originjs-compat-host.
• From @module-federation/vite@1.15.4 → vite-plugin-federation: the plugin options shape is a superset; replace import { federation } from '@module-federation/vite' with import federation from 'vite-plugin-federation'. Direct @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 imports already expose official helpers such as registerPlugins, preloadRemote, registerRemotes, and loadRemote; switch selected call sites to vite-plugin-federation/runtime when you want this repo's cached/retried/integrity-checked manifest helpers and debug snapshot wrapper.

---

Evidence Notes

• [1] packages/vite-plugin-federation/package.json, README, docs, unit tests, and e2e suites in this repository.
• [2] npm package metadata and tarballs rechecked on 2026-05-13: @module-federation/vite@1.15.4 depends on @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0, @module-federation/sdk@2.4.0, and @module-federation/dts-plugin@2.4.0; @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0 depends on @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0. @module-federation/core@1.0.0-canary.1 was also checked, but it is not in @module-federation/vite@1.15.4's dependency graph, so feature claims above are based on @module-federation/vite@1.15.4, @module-federation/runtime@2.4.0, and @module-federation/runtime-core@2.4.0. Optional retry/fallback rows reference the separately installable official @module-federation/retry-plugin@2.4.0; it is not in this adapter dependency graph. Relevant published/local APIs include remoteHmr, runtimePlugins, preloadRemote, registerPlugins, loaderHook.fetch, registerRemote, onLoad, errorLoadRemote, manifest cache/loading state, globalThis.__FEDERATION__, globalThis.System.import bootstrap fallback, and manifest metaData.ssrRemoteEntry.
• [3] @originjs/vite-plugin-federation@1.4.1 npm metadata, public types, and examples.
• [4] Local docs/tests for this repository's runtime wrapper, dev HMR, SSR, DTS, examples, and e2e suites.
• [5] vite-plugin-federation/runtime re-exports selected @module-federation/runtime@2.3.3 helpers.
• [6] Local compiler adapter and OriginJS compatibility implementation/tests.
• [7] Local production-runtime and security docs/tests.
• [8] Local multi-tenant docs/tests.
• [9] Local preload/performance docs/tests.
• [10] Local logger and public API contract docs/tests.
• [11] Local OriginJS migration shim docs/tests.
• [12] Local @module-federation/vite@1.15.4 source checkout: README, types, integration tests, Playwright config, bundled examples, and CI workflow metadata. Broader ecosystem examples outside this checkout were not revalidated here.
• [13] OriginJS public README/examples.
• [14] Package licenses in the reviewed npm packages.