diff --git a/.changeset/yellow-eggs-rush.md b/.changeset/yellow-eggs-rush.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02ab4737a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/yellow-eggs-rush.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/vite-plugin-svelte': minor
+---
+
+refactor: release vite-plugin-svelte as unbundled javascript with jsdoc types
diff --git a/.eslintrc.js b/.eslintrc.js
index 33efd7839..24a9d6a62 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.js
+++ b/.eslintrc.js
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ module.exports = {
 		ecmaVersion: 2020
 	},
 	rules: {
+		'n/no-unsupported-features/es-builtins': 'error',
+		'n/no-unsupported-features/es-syntax': 'error',
 		'no-console': 'off',
 		'no-debugger': 'error',
 		'n/no-missing-import': [
@@ -57,7 +59,6 @@ module.exports = {
 		],
 		'n/no-unpublished-import': 'off',
 		'n/no-unpublished-require': 'off',
-		'n/no-unsupported-features/es-syntax': 'off',
 		'no-process-exit': 'off'
 	},
 	overrides: [
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 152ee6442..254c2be5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ jobs:
         if: matrix.node == 14
         run: pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile --prefer-offline --ignore-scripts
       - name: build
-        run: pnpm build:ci
+        run: pnpm build
       - name: install playwright chromium
         run: pnpm playwright install chromium
       - name: run tests
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d451629fc..caad19f33 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "pnpm --dir packages/vite-plugin-svelte dev",
-    "build:ci": "pnpm --dir packages/vite-plugin-svelte build:ci",
     "build": "pnpm --dir packages/vite-plugin-svelte build",
     "test": "run-s -c test:unit test:build test:serve",
     "test:unit": "vitest run",
diff --git a/packages/e2e-tests/vitestGlobalSetup.ts b/packages/e2e-tests/vitestGlobalSetup.ts
index 5aa7e203e..7b0fc4ea8 100644
--- a/packages/e2e-tests/vitestGlobalSetup.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e-tests/vitestGlobalSetup.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,6 @@ const preserveArtifacts = !!process.env.TEST_PRESERVE_ARTIFACTS || isCI;
 
 const DIR = path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'vitest_playwright_global_setup');
 
-const buildPackagesUnderTest = async () => {
-	console.log('building packages');
-	await execa('pnpm', ['build:ci'], { stdio: 'inherit' });
-	console.log('building packages done');
-};
-
 const syncNodeModules = async () => {
 	// tests use symbolic linked node_modules directories. make sure the workspace is up for it
 	console.log('syncing node_modules');
@@ -50,7 +44,6 @@ export async function setup() {
 		console.log('');
 		console.log('preparing non ci env...');
 		await syncNodeModules();
-		await buildPackagesUnderTest();
 		console.log('preparations done');
 	}
 	console.log('Starting playwright server ...');
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/package.json b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/package.json
index ab95cd9b4..fa373aafa 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/package.json
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/package.json
@@ -4,23 +4,20 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "author": "dominikg",
   "files": [
-    "dist",
-    "src",
-    "*.d.ts"
+    "src"
   ],
   "type": "module",
-  "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
+  "types": "src/index.d.ts",
   "exports": {
     ".": {
-      "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
-      "import": "./dist/index.js"
+      "types": "./src/index.d.ts",
+      "import": "./src/index.js"
     },
     "./package.json": "./package.json"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "dev": "pnpm build:ci --sourcemap --watch src",
-    "build:ci": "rimraf dist && tsup-node src/index.ts --format esm",
-    "build": "pnpm build:ci --dts --sourcemap",
+    "dev": "pnpm typecheck --watch",
+    "build": "pnpm typecheck",
 		"typecheck": "tsc --noEmit --allowJs --checkJs"
   },
   "engines": {
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/handle-hot-update.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/handle-hot-update.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/handle-hot-update.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/handle-hot-update.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/index.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/index.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/index.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/index.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/preprocess.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/preprocess.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/preprocess.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/preprocess.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/constants.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/constants.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/constants.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/constants.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/dependencies.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/dependencies.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/dependencies.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/dependencies.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/error.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/error.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/error.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/error.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/esbuild.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/esbuild.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/esbuild.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/esbuild.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/hash.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/hash.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/hash.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/hash.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/id.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/id.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/id.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/id.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-raw.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-raw.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-raw.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-raw.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.js
similarity index 98%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.js
index 5c3822ca1..d146d3b94 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.ts
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/load-svelte-config.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export async function loadSvelteConfig(viteConfig, inlineOptions) {
 			try {
 				// identify which require function to use (esm and cjs mode)
 				const _require = import.meta.url
-					? (esmRequire ??= createRequire(import.meta.url))
+					? esmRequire ?? (esmRequire = createRequire(import.meta.url))
 					: require;
 
 				// avoid loading cached version on reload
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/log.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/log.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/log.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/log.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/optimizer.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/optimizer.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/optimizer.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/optimizer.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/options.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/options.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/options.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/options.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/resolve.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/resolve.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/resolve.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/resolve.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/sourcemaps.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/sourcemaps.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/sourcemaps.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/sourcemaps.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/svelte-version.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/svelte-version.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/svelte-version.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/svelte-version.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.js
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.ts
rename to packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js