diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index 7b2d7c188a..062e15c405 100644
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -10,48 +10,31 @@ const Rx = require('rx'),
   yargs = require('yargs'),
   sortKeys = require('sort-keys'),
   del = require('del'),
-
   // utils
   plumber = require('gulp-plumber'),
   notify = require('gulp-notify'),
   gutil = require('gulp-util'),
   reduce = require('gulp-reduce-file'),
-  concat = require('gulp-concat'),
-  uglify = require('gulp-uglify'),
-  merge = require('merge-stream'),
   sourcemaps = require('gulp-sourcemaps'),
-
   // react app
   webpack = require('webpack'),
   webpackStream = require('webpack-stream'),
   webpackDevMiddleware = require('webpack-dev-middleware'),
   webpackHotMiddleware = require('webpack-hot-middleware'),
   webpackConfig = require('./webpack.config.js'),
-
   // server process
   nodemon = require('gulp-nodemon'),
   browserSync = require('browser-sync'),
-
   // css
   less = require('gulp-less'),
-
   // rev
   rev = require('gulp-rev'),
   revDel = require('rev-del'),
-
   { createPathMigrationMap } = require('./seed/createPathMigrationMap');
 
 Rx.config.longStackSupport = true;
 const sync = browserSync.create('fcc-sync-server');
 
-function resolve(filepath, thisString, withThisString) {
-  const newPath = require.resolve(filepath);
-  if (thisString && withThisString) {
-    return newPath.replace(thisString, withThisString);
-  }
-  return newPath;
-}
-
 // user definable
 const __DEV__ = !yargs.argv.p;
 const host = process.env.HOST || 'localhost';
@@ -59,7 +42,8 @@ const port = yargs.argv.port || process.env.PORT || '3001';
 const syncPort = yargs.argv['sync-port'] || process.env.SYNC_PORT || '3000';
 
 // make sure sync ui port does not interfere with proxy port
-const syncUIPort = yargs.argv['sync-ui-port'] ||
+const syncUIPort =
+  yargs.argv['sync-ui-port'] ||
   process.env.SYNC_UI_PORT ||
   parseInt(syncPort, 10) + 2;
 
@@ -78,56 +62,13 @@ const paths = {
   publicJs: './public/js',
   css: 'public/css',
 
-  loopback: {
-    client: './client/loopbackClient',
-    root: path.join(__dirname, 'client/'),
-    clientName: 'lbApp'
-  },
-
   client: {
     src: './client',
     dest: 'public/js'
   },
 
-  vendorChallenges: [
-    resolve('jshint', 'src', 'dist'),
-    resolve('chai', 'index.js', 'chai.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'addon/comment/comment.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'addon/edit/closebrackets.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'addon/edit/matchbrackets.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'addon/lint/lint.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'addon/lint/javascript-lint.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'mode/javascript/javascript.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'mode/jsx/jsx.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'mode/xml/xml.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'mode/css/css.js'),
-    resolve('codemirror', 'lib/codemirror.js', 'mode/htmlmixed/htmlmixed.js'),
-    resolve('emmet-codemirror'),
-    'public/js/lib/loop-protect/loop-protect.js'
-  ],
-
-  vendorMain: [
-    resolve('jquery', '.js', '.min.js'),
-    resolve('bootstrap', 'npm.js', 'bootstrap.min.js'),
-    resolve('d3', '.js', '.min.js'),
-    resolve('cal-heatmap'),
-    resolve('moment', '.js', '.min.js'),
-    resolve(
-      'moment-timezone',
-      'index.js',
-      'builds/moment-timezone-with-data.min.js'
-    ),
-    resolve('mousetrap', '.js', '.min.js'),
-    resolve('lightbox2', '.js', '.min.js'),
-    resolve('rx', 'index.js', 'dist/rx.all.min.js')
-  ],
-
   less: './client/less/main.less',
-  lessFiles: [
-    './client/**/*.less',
-    './common/**/*.less'
-  ],
+  lessFiles: ['./client/**/*.less', './common/**/*.less'],
 
   manifest: 'server/manifests/',
 
@@ -136,13 +77,7 @@ const paths = {
     dest: 'common/app'
   },
 
-  syncWatch: [
-    'public/**/*.*'
-  ],
-
-  challenges: [
-    'seed/challenges/*/*.json'
-  ]
+  syncWatch: ['public/**/*.*']
 };
 
 const errorNotifier = notify.onError({
@@ -199,20 +134,16 @@ gulp.task('serve', function(cb) {
       }
     });
 
-    process.once('SIGINT', () => {
-      monitor.once('exit', () => {
-        /* eslint-disable no-process-exit */
-        process.exit(0);
-        /* eslint-enable no-process-exit */
-      });
+  process.once('SIGINT', () => {
+    monitor.once('exit', () => {
+      /* eslint-disable no-process-exit */
+      process.exit(0);
+      /* eslint-enable no-process-exit */
     });
+  });
 });
 
-const syncDepenedents = [
-  'serve',
-  'js',
-  'less'
-];
+const syncDepenedents = ['serve', 'less'];
 
 gulp.task('dev-server', syncDepenedents, function() {
   webpackConfig.entry.bundle = [
@@ -246,17 +177,20 @@ gulp.task('dev-server', syncDepenedents, function() {
 });
 
 gulp.task('pack-client', function() {
-  if (!__DEV__) { console.log('\n\nbundling www - production\n\n'); }
+  if (!__DEV__) {
+    console.log('\n\nbundling www - production\n\n');
+  }
 
   const dest = webpackConfig.output.path;
 
-  return gulp.src(webpackConfig.entry.bundle)
+  return gulp
+    .src(webpackConfig.entry.bundle)
     .pipe(plumber({ errorHandler }))
     .pipe(webpackStream(webpackConfig))
     .pipe(gulp.dest(dest));
 });
 
-const webpackManifestFiles = [ 'react-manifest.json', 'chunk-manifest.json' ];
+const webpackManifestFiles = ['react-manifest.json', 'chunk-manifest.json'];
 gulp.task('move-webpack-manifest', ['pack-client'], function() {
   const files = webpackManifestFiles.map(function(filename) {
     return path.join(webpackConfig.output.path, filename);
@@ -266,9 +200,11 @@ gulp.task('move-webpack-manifest', ['pack-client'], function() {
 
 const cleanDeps = ['pack-client', 'move-webpack-manifest'];
 gulp.task('clean-webpack-manifest', cleanDeps, function() {
-  return del(webpackManifestFiles.map(function(filename) {
-    return path.join(webpackConfig.output.path, filename);
-  }))
+  return del(
+    webpackManifestFiles.map(function(filename) {
+      return path.join(webpackConfig.output.path, filename);
+    })
+  )
     .then(function(pathsDeleted) {
       gutil.log('[clean-webpack-manifest]', 'paths deleted' + pathsDeleted);
     })
@@ -280,89 +216,33 @@ gulp.task('clean-webpack-manifest', cleanDeps, function() {
 gulp.task('less', function() {
   const manifestName = 'css-manifest.json';
   const dest = paths.css;
-  return gulp.src(paths.less)
-    .pipe(plumber({ errorHandler }))
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? sourcemaps.init() : gutil.noop())
-    // compile
-    .pipe(less({
-      paths: [
-        path.join(__dirname, 'client', 'less'),
-        path.join(__dirname, 'common')
-      ]
-    }))
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ?
-      sourcemaps.write({ sourceRoot: '/less' }) :
-      gutil.noop()
-    )
-    .pipe(gulp.dest(dest))
-    // add revision
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev())
-    // copy files to public
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(dest))
-    // create and merge manifest
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev.manifest(manifestName))
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : delRev(
-      dest,
-      manifestName
-    ))
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(paths.manifest));
-});
-
-function getFilesGlob(files) {
-  if (!__DEV__) {
-    return files;
-  }
-  return files.map(function(file) {
-    return file
-      .replace('.min.', '.')
-      // moment breaks the pattern
-      .replace('/min/', '/');
-  });
-}
-
-gulp.task('js', function() {
-  const manifestName = 'js-manifest.json';
-  const dest = paths.publicJs;
-
-  const jsFiles = merge(
-
-    gulp.src(getFilesGlob(paths.vendorMain))
+  return (
+    gulp
+      .src(paths.less)
+      .pipe(plumber({ errorHandler }))
       .pipe(__DEV__ ? sourcemaps.init() : gutil.noop())
-      .pipe(concat('vendor-main.js'))
+      // compile
       .pipe(
-        __DEV__ ?
-          sourcemaps.write({ sourceRoot: '/vendor' }) :
-          gutil.noop()
-      ),
-
-    gulp.src(paths.vendorChallenges)
-      .pipe(__DEV__ ? sourcemaps.init() : gutil.noop())
-      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : uglify())
-      .pipe(concat('vendor-challenges.js'))
-      .pipe(
-        __DEV__ ?
-          sourcemaps.write({ sourceRoot: '/vendor' }) :
-          gutil.noop()
+        less({
+          paths: [
+            path.join(__dirname, 'client', 'less'),
+            path.join(__dirname, 'common')
+          ]
+        })
       )
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? sourcemaps.write({ sourceRoot: '/less' }) : gutil.noop())
+      .pipe(gulp.dest(dest))
+      // add revision
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev())
+      // copy files to public
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(dest))
+      // create and merge manifest
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev.manifest(manifestName))
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : delRev(dest, manifestName))
+      .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(paths.manifest))
   );
-
-  return jsFiles
-    .pipe(gulp.dest(dest))
-    // create registry file
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev())
-    // copy revisioned assets to dest
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(dest))
-    // create manifest file
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : rev.manifest(manifestName))
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : delRev(
-      dest,
-      manifestName
-    ))
-    // copy manifest file to dest
-    .pipe(__DEV__ ? gutil.noop() : gulp.dest(paths.manifest));
 });
 
-
 const collector = (file, memo) =>
   Object.assign(memo, JSON.parse(file.contents));
 
@@ -370,15 +250,11 @@ function done(manifest) {
   return sortKeys(manifest);
 }
 
-const buildDependents = [
-  'less',
-  'js',
-  'pack-client',
-  'move-webpack-manifest'
-];
+const buildDependents = ['less', 'pack-client', 'move-webpack-manifest'];
 
 gulp.task('build-manifest', buildDependents, function() {
-  return gulp.src(paths.manifest + '*.json')
+  return gulp
+    .src(paths.manifest + '*.json')
     .pipe(reduce('rev-manifest.json', collector, done, {}))
     .pipe(gulp.dest('server/'));
 });
@@ -389,7 +265,6 @@ gulp.task('generate-migration-map', done => {
 
 gulp.task('build', [
   'less',
-  'js',
   'pack-client',
   'move-webpack-manifest',
   'clean-webpack-manifest',
@@ -397,16 +272,10 @@ gulp.task('build', [
   'generate-migration-map'
 ]);
 
-const watchDependents = [
-  'less',
-  'js',
-  'serve',
-  'dev-server'
-];
+const watchDependents = ['less', 'serve', 'dev-server'];
 
 gulp.task('watch', watchDependents, function() {
   gulp.watch(paths.lessFiles, ['less']);
-  gulp.watch(paths.vendorChallenges, ['js']);
 });
 
 gulp.task('default', [
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 684b870da2..15e4165c21 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -4052,15 +4052,6 @@
         "typedarray": "0.0.6"
       }
     },
-    "concat-with-sourcemaps": {
-      "version": "1.0.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/concat-with-sourcemaps/-/concat-with-sourcemaps-1.0.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-9Vs74q60dgGxCi1SWcz7cP0vHdY=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "requires": {
-        "source-map": "0.5.7"
-      }
-    },
     "configstore": {
       "version": "1.4.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/configstore/-/configstore-1.4.0.tgz",
@@ -8514,51 +8505,6 @@
         "vinyl-sourcemaps-apply": "0.2.1"
       }
     },
-    "gulp-concat": {
-      "version": "2.6.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/gulp-concat/-/gulp-concat-2.6.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-Yz0WyV2IUEYorQJmVmPO5aR5M1M=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "requires": {
-        "concat-with-sourcemaps": "1.0.4",
-        "through2": "2.0.3",
-        "vinyl": "2.1.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "clone": {
-          "version": "2.1.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/clone/-/clone-2.1.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-0hfR6WERjjrJpLi7oyhVU79kfNs=",
-          "dev": true
-        },
-        "clone-stats": {
-          "version": "1.0.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/clone-stats/-/clone-stats-1.0.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-s3gt/4u1R04Yuba/D9/ngvh3doA=",
-          "dev": true
-        },
-        "replace-ext": {
-          "version": "1.0.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/replace-ext/-/replace-ext-1.0.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-3mMSg3P8v3w8z6TeWkgMRaZ5WOs=",
-          "dev": true
-        },
-        "vinyl": {
-          "version": "2.1.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vinyl/-/vinyl-2.1.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-Ah+cLPlR1rk5lDyJ617lrdT9kkw=",
-          "dev": true,
-          "requires": {
-            "clone": "2.1.1",
-            "clone-buffer": "1.0.0",
-            "clone-stats": "1.0.0",
-            "cloneable-readable": "1.0.0",
-            "remove-trailing-separator": "1.1.0",
-            "replace-ext": "1.0.0"
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    },
     "gulp-less": {
       "version": "3.3.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/gulp-less/-/gulp-less-3.3.2.tgz",
@@ -8717,22 +8663,6 @@
         }
       }
     },
-    "gulp-uglify": {
-      "version": "2.1.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/gulp-uglify/-/gulp-uglify-2.1.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-bbhbHQ7mPRgFhZK2WGSdZcLsRUE=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "requires": {
-        "gulplog": "1.0.0",
-        "has-gulplog": "0.1.0",
-        "lodash": "4.17.5",
-        "make-error-cause": "1.2.2",
-        "through2": "2.0.3",
-        "uglify-js": "2.8.29",
-        "uglify-save-license": "0.4.1",
-        "vinyl-sourcemaps-apply": "0.2.1"
-      }
-    },
     "gulp-util": {
       "version": "3.0.8",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/gulp-util/-/gulp-util-3.0.8.tgz",
@@ -12270,21 +12200,6 @@
         }
       }
     },
-    "make-error": {
-      "version": "1.3.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/make-error/-/make-error-1.3.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-Uq06M5zPEM5itAQLcI/nByRLi5Y=",
-      "dev": true
-    },
-    "make-error-cause": {
-      "version": "1.2.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/make-error-cause/-/make-error-cause-1.2.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-3wOI/NCzeBbf8KX7gQiTl3fcvJ0=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "requires": {
-        "make-error": "1.3.0"
-      }
-    },
     "make-iterator": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/make-iterator/-/make-iterator-1.0.0.tgz",
@@ -12432,15 +12347,6 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/merge-descriptors/-/merge-descriptors-1.0.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-sAqqVW3YtEVoFQ7J0blT8/kMu2E="
     },
-    "merge-stream": {
-      "version": "1.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/merge-stream/-/merge-stream-1.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-QEEgLVCKNCugAXQAjfDCUbjBNeE=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "requires": {
-        "readable-stream": "2.2.7"
-      }
-    },
     "method-override": {
       "version": "2.3.10",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/method-override/-/method-override-2.3.10.tgz",
@@ -19473,12 +19379,6 @@
         }
       }
     },
-    "uglify-save-license": {
-      "version": "0.4.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/uglify-save-license/-/uglify-save-license-0.4.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-lXJsF8xv0XHDYX479NjYKqjEzOE=",
-      "dev": true
-    },
     "uglify-to-browserify": {
       "version": "1.0.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/uglify-to-browserify/-/uglify-to-browserify-1.0.2.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 73d40c04a8..7024c0a69d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@
     "eslint-plugin-import": "^2.9.0",
     "gulp": "^3.9.1",
     "gulp-babel": "^6.1.1",
-    "gulp-concat": "^2.6.0",
     "gulp-less": "^3.0.3",
     "gulp-nodemon": "^2.0.3",
     "gulp-notify": "^3.0.0",
@@ -180,7 +179,6 @@
     "gulp-reduce-file": "0.0.1",
     "gulp-rev": "^7.0.0",
     "gulp-sourcemaps": "^2.2.1",
-    "gulp-uglify": "^2.0.0",
     "gulp-util": "^3.0.6",
     "husky": "^0.14.3",
     "istanbul-coveralls": "^1.0.3",
@@ -190,7 +188,6 @@
     "json-loader": "~0.5.2",
     "less": "^2.5.1",
     "loopback-component-explorer": "^2.1.1",
-    "merge-stream": "^1.0.0",
     "pm2": "^2.10.2",
     "proxyquire": "^1.7.10",
     "react-hot-loader": "^1.3.0",