How to include a CDN to VueJS CLI without NPM or Webpack?

Question

I'm new on VueJS ans Webpack. I've created a project with VueJS CLI and trying to work with it. I need to insert an CDN to my code.

When working with standard HTML, CSS & JS solutions, I'd include CDNs like this:

As you can see, you can add a CDN script with the HTML script tag, and start using it in the JS.

I'm trying to do the same with VueJS in a component. I've got the template and style sections ready.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to add in a simple way a CDN to use inmediately in the script tag within the Vue component. I tried to do this but it is not working.

<template>
  <div class="index">
    <div class="container">
      <table id="table_dataset" class="display">
      </table>
    </div>
  </div>
  
</template>

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.datatables.net/v/dt/dt-1.10.16/sl-1.2.5/datatables.min.js"></script>
<script>
  export default {
    name: 'Index',
    data() {
      return { 
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Add "scoped" attribute to limit CSS to this component only -->
<style scoped>
</style>

Is there a way to add a CDN (without Webpack or NPM) to a VueJS component?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, no, you can't add a <script> tag to a specific component via template.

In your case you have some options:

1: Use NPM

Propertly install the dependency using npm

• Pros: proper usage of NPM and Webpack; scoped definition;
• Cons: the script must be available as a NPM package.
• Note: when available this is the recommended approach.

• Steps:

  • For your case, you can check in datatables official page they do have a NPM package. I could be used like:

    npm install --save datatables.net-dt
    

  • And in your .vue file:

    <script>
      require( 'datatables.net-dt' )();
      export default {
        name: 'Index',
        data() {
          return { 
          }
        }
      }
    </script>
    

---

2: Add <script> tag to index.html

Locate and a dd the <script> tag to your index.html

• Pros: the <script> tag is clearly (and declaratively) added to the HTML source. The script will only be loaded once.
• Cons: the script will be globally loaded.
• Steps:
  • Just add the <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.datatables.net/v/dt/dt-1.10.16/sl-1.2.5/datatables.min.js"></script> to the end of the index.html file, preferably right before </body>.

---

3: Create the <script> tag programatically

The other alternative is to create the script tag programatically at the component, when the component is lodaded.

• Pros: the code stays in the component only. Your external script will be loaded only when the component is loaded.
• Cons: the script still will be globally available once it is loaded.

• Steps/Code:

  <script>
    export default {
      name: 'Index',
      data() {
        return { 
        }
      },
      mounted() {
        if (document.getElementById('my-datatable')) return; // was already loaded
        var scriptTag = document.createElement("script");
        scriptTag.src = "https://cdn.datatables.net/v/dt/dt-1.10.16/sl-1.2.5/datatables.min.js";
        scriptTag.id = "my-datatable";
        document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptTag);
      }
    }
  </script>