Asset Modules vs file-loader for static binary asset management

Handling Static Assets in Webpack 5

When managing static binary files, there is a choice between utilizing the legacy file-loader package or the built-in Asset Modules introduced in Webpack 5. The primary goal is to ensure assets are emitted to the output directory with a generated URL while minimizing external dependency overhead.

Using type: 'asset/resource' provides a native way to handle these files, whereas file-loader requires an external installation and specific rule configuration. However, mixing these two approaches on the same file extension can lead to assets being emitted twice.

Given a project migrating to Webpack 5, what are the specific trade-offs regarding bundle size and configuration complexity when choosing Asset Modules over legacy loaders? In what scenarios would the legacy loader still be preferable for binary asset emission?