> JS is in a unique position because it can run both code in a browser as well as a server-side/scripting language. In order to do that with any level of success, tooling is required.

Mind that this was not that much of a problem back in 1997 with Netscape Navigator and Netscape Enterprise Server. I think, the real issue here is that the JS ecosystem is targeting an abstract implementation, rather than a real world one. Much of the tooling is just about turning the abstract implementation into a real world standard and, in a second step, about packaging (i.e. linking).