diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index f6028b607..20b6caa3e 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -16,13 +16,11 @@ To install the static dependencies, run:
 
 You can also pass a `-f` flag to this command to force Bower to run, if necessary.
 
-### Minified JavaScript
+### JavaScript
 
-To compile the minified JavaScript, run:
+To compile the JavaScript, run:
 
-    python setup.py js
-
-You can also run the notebook server without relying on the minified JavaScript by passing the `--NotebookApp.ignore_minified_js=True` flag when launching the notebook.
+    npm run build:js
 
 ### Compiling CSS
 
diff --git a/docs/source/development_js.rst b/docs/source/development_js.rst
index 817ca4a08..b199bc02e 100644
--- a/docs/source/development_js.rst
+++ b/docs/source/development_js.rst
@@ -54,12 +54,9 @@ Prototyping tip
 ---------------
 
 When doing prototyping which needs quick iteration of the Notebook's
-JavaScript, the bundled and minified JavaScript may be deactivated. To do
-this, start the Notebook with the option
-``--NotebookApp.ignore_minified_js=True``.  This increases
-the number of requests that the browser makes to the server, but it allows
-testing JavaScript file modification without going through the time consuming
-compilation step that may take up to 30 seconds.
+JavaScript, run `npm run build:watch` in the root of the repository.  
+This will cause WebPack to monitor the files you edit and recompile 
+them on the fly.
 
 
 .. _Node.js: https://nodejs.org
diff --git a/notebook/base/handlers.py b/notebook/base/handlers.py
index 3963eea9c..93142dadf 100644
--- a/notebook/base/handlers.py
+++ b/notebook/base/handlers.py
@@ -118,15 +118,6 @@ class IPythonHandler(AuthenticatedHandler):
     Mostly property shortcuts to IPython-specific settings.
     """
 
-
-    @property
-    def ignore_minified_js(self):
-        """Wether to user bundle in template. (*.min files)
-        
-        Mainly use for development and avoid file recompilation
-        """
-        return self.settings.get('ignore_minified_js', False)
-
     @property
     def config(self):
         return self.settings.get('config', None)
@@ -314,7 +305,6 @@ class IPythonHandler(AuthenticatedHandler):
             sys_info=sys_info,
             contents_js_source=self.contents_js_source,
             version_hash=self.version_hash,
-            ignore_minified_js=self.ignore_minified_js,
             **self.jinja_template_vars
         )
     
diff --git a/notebook/notebookapp.py b/notebook/notebookapp.py
index dc820d6dc..d9a98973a 100644
--- a/notebook/notebookapp.py
+++ b/notebook/notebookapp.py
@@ -189,8 +189,7 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
                 'no_cache_paths': [url_path_join(base_url, 'static', 'custom')],
             },
             version_hash=version_hash,
-            ignore_minified_js=ipython_app.ignore_minified_js,
-
+            
             # rate limits
             iopub_msg_rate_limit=ipython_app.iopub_msg_rate_limit,
             iopub_data_rate_limit=ipython_app.iopub_data_rate_limit,
@@ -414,11 +413,6 @@ class NotebookApp(JupyterApp):
         """override default log format to include time"""
         return u"%(color)s[%(levelname)1.1s %(asctime)s.%(msecs).03d %(name)s]%(end_color)s %(message)s"
 
-    ignore_minified_js = Bool(False,
-            config=True,
-            help='Use minified JS file or not, mainly use during dev to avoid JS recompilation', 
-            )
-
     # file to be opened in the notebook server
     file_to_run = Unicode('', config=True)
 
diff --git a/notebook/templates/edit.html b/notebook/templates/edit.html
index 4c64d8c27..4a4cba993 100644
--- a/notebook/templates/edit.html
+++ b/notebook/templates/edit.html
@@ -95,9 +95,5 @@ data-file-path="{{file_path}}"
 
     {{super()}}
 
-{% if ignore_minified_js %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("edit/js/main.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% else %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("edit/js/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% endif %}
+<script src="{{ static_url("edit/js/built/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/notebook/templates/notebook.html b/notebook/templates/notebook.html
index 197bd9ccd..31fd510f6 100644
--- a/notebook/templates/notebook.html
+++ b/notebook/templates/notebook.html
@@ -344,10 +344,6 @@ data-notebook-path="{{notebook_path | urlencode}}"
 
 <script src="{{ static_url("components/text-encoding/lib/encoding.js") }}" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
-{% if ignore_minified_js %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("notebook/js/main.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% else %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("notebook/js/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% endif %}
+<script src="{{ static_url("notebook/js/built/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/notebook/templates/page.html b/notebook/templates/page.html
index 9287c48cb..c041dfb56 100644
--- a/notebook/templates/page.html
+++ b/notebook/templates/page.html
@@ -24,11 +24,7 @@
           {% endif %}
           baseUrl: '{{static_url("", include_version=False)}}',
           paths: {
-          {% if ignore_minified_js %}
-            'auth/js/main': 'auth/js/main',
-          {% else %}
-            'auth/js/main': 'auth/js/main.min',
-          {% endif %}
+            'auth/js/main': 'auth/js/built/main.min',
             custom : '{{ base_url }}custom',
             nbextensions : '{{ base_url }}nbextensions',
             widgets : '{{ base_url }}deprecatedwidgets',
diff --git a/notebook/templates/tree.html b/notebook/templates/tree.html
index a59cbeb32..650e7f267 100644
--- a/notebook/templates/tree.html
+++ b/notebook/templates/tree.html
@@ -181,9 +181,6 @@ data-terminals-available="{{terminals_available}}"
 {% block script %}
     {{super()}}
 
-{% if ignore_minified_js %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("tree/js/main.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% else %}
-    <script src="{{ static_url("tree/js/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
-{% endif %}
+
+<script src="{{ static_url("tree/js/built/main.min.js") }}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
 {% endblock %}