diff --git a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/vue.spec.ts.snap b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/vue.spec.ts.snap
index 2031cef28..6afda83b5 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/vue.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/vue.spec.ts.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
-exports[`vue configuration [android] works 1`] = `
+exports[`vue configuration for android 1`] = `
 "{
   resolve: {
     symlinks: true,
@@ -14,8 +14,74 @@ exports[`vue configuration [android] works 1`] = `
       '.vue'
     ]
   },
+  resolveLoader: {
+    modules: [
+      '@nativescript/webpack/loaders',
+      'node_modules'
+    ]
+  },
   module: {
     rules: [
+      /* config.module.rule('ts') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.ts$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('ts').use('ts-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'ts-loader',
+            options: {
+              transpileOnly: true,
+              allowTsInNodeModules: true,
+              compilerOptions: {
+                sourceMap: true,
+                declaration: false
+              },
+              getCustomTransformers: function () { /* omitted long function */ },
+              appendTsSuffixTo: [
+                '\\\\\\\\.vue$'
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('js') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.js$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('js').use('babel-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'babel-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('css') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.css$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('css').use('css2json-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css2json-loader'
+          },
+          /* config.module.rule('css').use('css-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('scss') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.scss$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('scss').use('css2json-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css2json-loader'
+          },
+          /* config.module.rule('scss').use('scss-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'scss-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
       /* config.module.rule('vue') */
       {
         test: /\\\\.vue$/,
@@ -28,20 +94,6 @@ exports[`vue configuration [android] works 1`] = `
             }
           }
         ]
-      },
-      /* config.module.rule('ts') */
-      {
-        use: [
-          /* config.module.rule('ts').use('ts-loader') */
-          {
-            loader: 'ts-loader',
-            options: {
-              appendTsSuffixTo: [
-                /\\\\.vue$/
-              ]
-            }
-          }
-        ]
       }
     ]
   },
@@ -55,7 +107,24 @@ exports[`vue configuration [android] works 1`] = `
         verbose: true
       }
     ),
-    /* config.plugin('vue-plugin') */
+    /* config.plugin('define') */
+    new DefinePlugin(
+      {
+        'global.NS_WEBPACK': true,
+        'global.isAndroid': true,
+        'global.isIOS': false,
+        process: 'global.process'
+      }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('copy') */
+    new CopyPluginTemp(
+      {
+        patterns: []
+      }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('watch-state-logger') */
+    new WatchStateLoggerPlugin(),
+    /* config.plugin('vue') */
     new VueLoaderPlugin()
   ],
   entry: {
@@ -66,7 +135,7 @@ exports[`vue configuration [android] works 1`] = `
 }"
 `;
 
-exports[`vue configuration [ios] works 1`] = `
+exports[`vue configuration for ios 1`] = `
 "{
   resolve: {
     symlinks: true,
@@ -80,8 +149,74 @@ exports[`vue configuration [ios] works 1`] = `
       '.vue'
     ]
   },
+  resolveLoader: {
+    modules: [
+      '@nativescript/webpack/loaders',
+      'node_modules'
+    ]
+  },
   module: {
     rules: [
+      /* config.module.rule('ts') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.ts$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('ts').use('ts-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'ts-loader',
+            options: {
+              transpileOnly: true,
+              allowTsInNodeModules: true,
+              compilerOptions: {
+                sourceMap: true,
+                declaration: false
+              },
+              getCustomTransformers: function () { /* omitted long function */ },
+              appendTsSuffixTo: [
+                '\\\\\\\\.vue$'
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('js') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.js$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('js').use('babel-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'babel-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('css') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.css$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('css').use('css2json-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css2json-loader'
+          },
+          /* config.module.rule('css').use('css-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      /* config.module.rule('scss') */
+      {
+        test: /\\\\.scss$/,
+        use: [
+          /* config.module.rule('scss').use('css2json-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'css2json-loader'
+          },
+          /* config.module.rule('scss').use('scss-loader') */
+          {
+            loader: 'scss-loader'
+          }
+        ]
+      },
       /* config.module.rule('vue') */
       {
         test: /\\\\.vue$/,
@@ -94,20 +229,6 @@ exports[`vue configuration [ios] works 1`] = `
             }
           }
         ]
-      },
-      /* config.module.rule('ts') */
-      {
-        use: [
-          /* config.module.rule('ts').use('ts-loader') */
-          {
-            loader: 'ts-loader',
-            options: {
-              appendTsSuffixTo: [
-                /\\\\.vue$/
-              ]
-            }
-          }
-        ]
       }
     ]
   },
@@ -121,7 +242,24 @@ exports[`vue configuration [ios] works 1`] = `
         verbose: true
       }
     ),
-    /* config.plugin('vue-plugin') */
+    /* config.plugin('define') */
+    new DefinePlugin(
+      {
+        'global.NS_WEBPACK': true,
+        'global.isAndroid': false,
+        'global.isIOS': true,
+        process: 'global.process'
+      }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('copy') */
+    new CopyPluginTemp(
+      {
+        patterns: []
+      }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('watch-state-logger') */
+    new WatchStateLoggerPlugin(),
+    /* config.plugin('vue') */
     new VueLoaderPlugin()
   ],
   entry: {
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/vue.spec.ts b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/vue.spec.ts
index 4f69ecff4..c1648e229 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/vue.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/vue.spec.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 import { __vue } from '@nativescript/webpack';
 
+// todo: maybe mock baseConfig as we test it separately?
+// import Config from 'webpack-chain'
+// jest.mock('../../src/configuration/base', () => () => {
+// 	return new Config()
+// })
+
 describe('vue configuration', () => {
 	const platforms = ['ios', 'android'];
 
 	for (let platform of platforms) {
-		it(`[${platform}] works`, () => {
+		it(`for ${platform}`, () => {
 			expect(
 				__vue({
 					[platform]: true,
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/package.json b/packages/webpack5/package.json
index 7a8f2cf23..35267f3b3 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/package.json
+++ b/packages/webpack5/package.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "clean-webpack-plugin": "^3.0.0",
     "vue-loader": "^15.9.5",
-    "webpack-chain": "^6.5.1"
+    "webpack-chain": "^6.5.1",
+    "webpack-merge": "^5.4.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/base.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/base.ts
index bd20179c9..72a30dc01 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/base.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/base.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,19 @@ import Config from 'webpack-chain';
 import { IWebpackEnv, WebpackPlatform } from './index';
 import { CleanWebpackPlugin } from 'clean-webpack-plugin';
 import { getDistPath } from '../helpers/projectHelpers';
+import { DefinePlugin } from 'webpack';
+import { WatchStateLoggerPlugin } from '../plugins/WatchStateLoggerPlugin';
 
 // todo: add base configuration that's shared across all flavors
 export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 	const config = new Config();
 	const distPath = getDistPath(env);
+	const platform = determinePlatformFromEnv(env);
+
+	// look for loaders in
+	//  - @nativescript/webpack/loaders
+	//  - node_modules
+	config.resolveLoader.modules.add('@nativescript/webpack/loaders').add('node_modules');
 
 	// inspector_modules
 	config.when(shouldIncludeInspectorModules(env), (config) => {
@@ -21,6 +29,53 @@ export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 	// resolve symlinks
 	config.resolve.symlinks(true);
 
+	// set up ts support
+	config.module
+		.rule('ts')
+		.test(/\.ts$/)
+		.use('ts-loader')
+		.loader('ts-loader')
+		.options({
+			// configFile: '',
+			transpileOnly: true,
+			allowTsInNodeModules: true,
+			compilerOptions: {
+				sourceMap: true,
+				declaration: false,
+			},
+			getCustomTransformers() {
+				return {
+					before: [
+						// todo: transform NativeClass
+					],
+				};
+			},
+		});
+
+	// set up js
+	// todo: do we need babel-loader? It's useful to support it
+	config.module.rule('js').test(/\.js$/).use('babel-loader').loader('babel-loader');
+
+	// set up css
+	config.module
+		.rule('css')
+		.test(/\.css$/)
+		.use('css2json-loader')
+		.loader('css2json-loader')
+		.end()
+		.use('css-loader')
+		.loader('css-loader');
+
+	// set up scss
+	config.module
+		.rule('scss')
+		.test(/\.scss$/)
+		.use('css2json-loader')
+		.loader('css2json-loader')
+		.end()
+		.use('scss-loader')
+		.loader('scss-loader');
+
 	// items to clean
 	config.plugin('clean').use(CleanWebpackPlugin, [
 		{
@@ -29,6 +84,28 @@ export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 		},
 	]);
 
+	// todo: refine defaults
+	config.plugin('define').use(DefinePlugin, [
+		{
+			'global.NS_WEBPACK': true,
+			'global.isAndroid': platform === WebpackPlatform.android,
+			'global.isIOS': platform === WebpackPlatform.ios,
+			process: 'global.process',
+		},
+	]);
+
+	// todo: we should probably move away from CopyWebpackPlugin
+	// it has many issues we can solve by simply copying files **before** the build even starts
+	// this is just a temp inline plugin that does nothing while building out the configs.
+	config.plugin('copy').use(function CopyPluginTemp() {}, [
+		{
+			patterns: [],
+		},
+	]);
+
+	// add the WatchStateLogger plugin used to notify the CLI of build state
+	config.plugin('watch-state-logger').use(WatchStateLoggerPlugin);
+
 	return config;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
index 4826e2233..98c8a27e5 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,16 @@ import base from './base';
 import { IWebpackEnv } from '@nativescript/webpack';
 import Config from 'webpack-chain';
 
-// todo: add base configuration for core
+// todo: add base configuration for core with javascript
 export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 	const config = base(env);
 
+	// set up xml
+	config.module
+		.rule('xml')
+		.test(/\.xml$/)
+		.use('xml-loader')
+		.loader('xml-loader');
+
 	return config;
 }
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/vue.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/vue.ts
index a03ceb937..d9502ea60 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/vue.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/vue.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import base from './base';
 import Config from 'webpack-chain';
 import { VueLoaderPlugin } from 'vue-loader';
 import { IWebpackEnv } from './index';
-
+import { merge } from 'webpack-merge';
 // todo: add base configuration for vue
 export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 	const config = base(env);
@@ -29,15 +29,14 @@ export default function (env: IWebpackEnv): Config {
 		.rule('ts')
 		.use('ts-loader')
 		.loader('ts-loader')
-		.tap((options) => {
-			return {
-				...options,
-				appendTsSuffixTo: [/\.vue$/],
-			};
+		.tap((options = {}) => {
+			return merge(options, {
+				appendTsSuffixTo: ['\\.vue$'],
+			});
 		});
 
 	// add VueLoaderPlugin
-	config.plugin('vue-plugin').use(VueLoaderPlugin);
+	config.plugin('vue').use(VueLoaderPlugin);
 
 	// add an alias for vue, since some plugins may try to import it
 	config.resolve.alias.set('vue', 'nativescript-vue');
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/plugins/WatchStateLoggerPlugin.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/plugins/WatchStateLoggerPlugin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..51cd2cdb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/plugins/WatchStateLoggerPlugin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+export enum messages {
+	compilationComplete = 'Webpack compilation complete.',
+	startWatching = 'Webpack compilation complete. Watching for file changes.',
+	changeDetected = 'File change detected. Starting incremental webpack compilation...',
+}
+
+/**
+ * This little plugin will report the webpack state through the console.
+ * So the {N} CLI can get some idea when compilation completes.
+ */
+export class WatchStateLoggerPlugin {
+	isRunningWatching: boolean;
+
+	apply(compiler) {
+		const plugin = this;
+		compiler.hooks.watchRun.tapAsync('WatchStateLoggerPlugin', function (compiler, callback) {
+			plugin.isRunningWatching = true;
+			if (plugin.isRunningWatching) {
+				console.log(messages.changeDetected);
+			}
+			process.send && process.send(messages.changeDetected, (error) => null);
+			callback();
+		});
+		compiler.hooks.afterEmit.tapAsync('WatchStateLoggerPlugin', function (compilation, callback) {
+			callback();
+
+			if (plugin.isRunningWatching) {
+				console.log(messages.startWatching);
+			} else {
+				console.log(messages.compilationComplete);
+			}
+
+			const emittedFiles = Object.keys(compilation.assets).filter((assetKey) => compilation.assets[assetKey].emitted);
+
+			const chunkFiles = getChunkFiles(compilation);
+			process.send && process.send(messages.compilationComplete, (error) => null);
+			// Send emitted files so they can be LiveSynced if need be
+			process.send && process.send({ emittedFiles, chunkFiles, hash: compilation.hash }, (error) => null);
+		});
+	}
+}
+
+function getChunkFiles(compilation) {
+	const chunkFiles = [];
+	try {
+		compilation.chunks.forEach((chunk) => {
+			chunk.files.forEach((file) => {
+				if (file.indexOf('hot-update') === -1) {
+					chunkFiles.push(file);
+				}
+			});
+		});
+	} catch (e) {
+		console.log('Warning: Unable to find chunk files.');
+	}
+
+	return chunkFiles;
+}