Parcel is a web application bundler that offers a streamlined and efficient development experience by leveraging multicore processing and requiring minimal configuration, making it a notable alternative to traditional build tools like webpack. While webpack is powerful and versatile, it often demands significant initial setup, especially for basic tasks such as handling Sass/SCSS, Babel, vendor prefixing, code minification, and cache-busting. Parcel simplifies this process by automatically managing these features with minimal manual intervention, allowing developers to focus more on building applications rather than configuring their setups. This ease of use is particularly appealing to new developers or those seeking a faster setup experience, although it can demand more from a computer's resources due to its multicore processing capabilities. Despite Parcel's user-friendly nature and speed, developers should remain aware of the abstraction involved in its "zero-config" approach and consider their specific project needs when choosing between Parcel and webpack.