What problem does this feature solve?

Support the new Import Bytes proposal — allowing developers to import raw binary files directly as Uint8Array.

References

• webpack v5.102.0 – implemented
• esbuild@v0.25.11 – implemented
• Already available in Deno and Bun, see https://x.com/robpalmer2/status/1978377233891725357

What does the proposed API of configuration look like?

Example:

import buf from "./a.png" with { type: "bytes" };

console.log(buf instanceof Uint8Array); // true