Has something replaced bundleconfig.json in ASP.NET Core MVC 2.1?

When I create a new ASP.NET MVC Core targeting 2.1 RC1, it doesn't create the bundleconfig.json file which is used for bundling and minification. This file is created if I target 2.0.

Here is a example, the solution contains a new project targeting 2.0 and another targeting 2.1:

Has something replaced the builtin bundling and minification, or is this just a bug in RC1?

bundleconfig.json was removed from the 2.1 templates because it relied on a tool not created or supported by Microsoft. See https://github.com/aspnet/templating/issues/326.

This file [bundleconfig.json] is for configuring the various incantations of the BundlerMinifier tool, which isn't actually shipped in the templates, or supported by Microsoft.

Please see documentation at https://docs.microsoft.com/aspnet/core/client-side/bundling-and-magnification for details on configuring this project to bundle and minify static web assets.

Update May 2024 from Microsoft documentation Choose a bundling and minification strategy

ASP.NET Core is compatible with WebOptimizer, an open-source bundling and minification solution. For set up instructions and sample projects, see WebOptimizer. ASP.NET Core doesn't provide a native bundling and minification solution.

Third-party tools, such as Gulp and Webpack, provide workflow automation for bundling and minification, as well as linting and image optimization.

Advice May 2018: The ASP.NET Core team has replaced bundleconfig with "libman". Rightclick the project --> Add --> Client Side Library and add the packages you need