diff --git a/frontend/.babelrc b/.babelrc
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/.babelrc
rename to .babelrc
diff --git a/doc/MacInstallation.md b/doc/MacInstallation.md
index 8d10eda5..b2ed8500 100644
--- a/doc/MacInstallation.md
+++ b/doc/MacInstallation.md
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ Now install homebrew.
 
     ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
 
-Then install nodejs and frontend code
+Then install nodejs and ES6 code
 
     brew install nodejs
-    (cd frontend && npm install && npm run build)
+    npm install
+    npm run build
 
 And postgresql:
 
diff --git a/doc/UbuntuInstallation.md b/doc/UbuntuInstallation.md
index 4df4762f..bc100fdb 100644
--- a/doc/UbuntuInstallation.md
+++ b/doc/UbuntuInstallation.md
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ Install the specific version of ruby needed this will take some time
 
     rvm install $(cat metamaps/.ruby-version)
 
-While that is running, you can open another terminal and install the npm frontend code
+While that is running, you can open another terminal and install the ES6 code
 
-    cd frontend
     npm install
     npm run build
 
diff --git a/doc/WindowsInstallation.md b/doc/WindowsInstallation.md
index 7580fe7f..2aed29fa 100644
--- a/doc/WindowsInstallation.md
+++ b/doc/WindowsInstallation.md
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@ Now you are ready to clone the Metamaps git repository:
 The third `bundle install` command downloads and installs the rubygem
 dependencies of Metamaps.
 
-You also need to install the Javascript frontend code from the nodejs repositories:
+You also need to install the ES6 code from the nodejs repositories:
 
-    cd frontend
     npm install
     npm run build
-    cd ..
 
 At this point you should be in C:\git\metamaps, or whatever equivalent
 directory you've chosen. The next step is to set up your database
diff --git a/doc/production/first-deploy.md b/doc/production/first-deploy.md
index 8c350a08..925792d6 100644
--- a/doc/production/first-deploy.md
+++ b/doc/production/first-deploy.md
@@ -60,11 +60,10 @@ Run this in the metamaps directory, still as metamaps:
     # create, load schema, seed
     rake db:setup
 
-#### Install js frontend code
+#### Install node & ES6 modules
 
     sudo aptitude install nodejs npm
     sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/bin/node
-    cd frontend
     npm install
     npm run build
 
diff --git a/doc/production/pull-changes.md b/doc/production/pull-changes.md
index 9d58ce57..b99b39db 100644
--- a/doc/production/pull-changes.md
+++ b/doc/production/pull-changes.md
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ Now that you have the code, run these commands:
     source .env
 
     bundle install
-    (cd frontend && npm install && npm run build)
+    npm install
+    npm run build
     rake db:migrate
     rake assets:precompile
     rake perms:fix
diff --git a/frontend/README-frontend.md b/frontend/README-frontend.md
index a0488cda..5d086600 100644
--- a/frontend/README-frontend.md
+++ b/frontend/README-frontend.md
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-To setup javascript dev, `cd frontend` and then run
+To setup javascript dev, first run
 
     npm install
 
 to set up your testing environment. Then use
 
-    npm test
+    npm run test
 
 to see the results of testing the current javascript files.
 
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/package.json
similarity index 97%
rename from frontend/package.json
rename to package.json
index d2d57876..acf69b97 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.9.0",
     "babel-preset-react": "^6.11.1",
     "chai": "^3.5.0",
+    "jquery": "^1.12.1",
     "mocha": "^2.4.5",
     "webpack": "^1.13.1"
   },
diff --git a/frontend/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
similarity index 78%
rename from frontend/webpack.config.js
rename to webpack.config.js
index 1faa891e..492871ff 100644
--- a/frontend/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ const config = module.exports = {
     ]
   },
   entry: {
-    'metamaps.bundle': './src/index.js'
+    'metamaps.bundle': './frontend/src/index.js'
   },
   output: {
-    path: '../app/assets/javascripts/webpacked',
+    path: './app/assets/javascripts/webpacked',
     filename: '[name].js'
   }
 }