From: https://github.com/webpack/webpack.js.org/pull/1856#discussion_r173507062 The `production` mode enables a few more plugins than currently listed, eg `FlagIncludedChunksPlugin`, `OccurrenceOrderPlugin`, `SideEffectsFlagPlugin`, `FlagDependencyUsagePlugin`: https://github.com/webpack/webpack/blob/4f399322ad1922ae7bafdeea1c4d83bf9c9851a7/lib/WebpackOptionsDefaulter.js#L192-L207 https://github.com/webpack/webpack/blob/fde018300aa52262c384e937c408d5dd97d62951/lib/WebpackOptionsApply.js#L307-L318 And `development` mode also enables `NamedChunksPlugin`. Page in question: https://github.com/webpack/webpack.js.org/blob/master/src/content/concepts/mode.md