> you also need to find and install plugins (loaders) for various file types, and those plugins need to be configured as well No, you don't _need_ to find and

> you also need to find and install plugins (loaders) for various file types, and those plugins need to be configured as well No, you don't _need_ to find and install plugins, unless you need it because you're going further beyond than the core use case of webpack. You're comparing two tools that have different focuses and compare them on the axis of "working out of the box" which some specific use case in mind. Parcel might work out of the box for React, because it was created to provide that experience. Webpack wasn't created for that, but to provide customizations for its users. Of course Parcel is gonna be better at providing that experience