Web dependencies are broken. Can we fix them?

Graphic with headline “Web dependencies are broken. Can we fix them?” and text below: “In healthy ecosystems dependencies are normal, cheap, and first-class. ‘Dependency-free’ is not a badge of honor.”

Lea Verou argues the web outsourced dependency management to bundlers, and import maps still force global, HTML-based config. She proposes fixes like external import maps, import maps via headers, and server-resolved specifiers.

lea.verou.me/blog/2026/web-deps