@babel/core is the core library of the Babel JavaScript compiler. It is primarily used for transforming ES6+ code into backwards compatible JavaScript that can be run by older JavaScript engines. Babel is widely used for its ability to transpile new JavaScript syntax, JSX, TypeScript, and for its plugin system that allows developers to use experimental features and customize the build process.

What are @babel/core's main functionalities?

Syntax Transformation

Transforms modern JavaScript syntax into a backwards compatible version. For example, it can convert ES6 arrow functions into regular ES5 functions.

require('@babel/core').transform('code', { presets: ['@babel/preset-env'] });

Plugin/Preset Application

Applies Babel plugins or presets to the code to enable specific transformations or sets of transformations.

require('@babel/core').transform('code', { plugins: ['@babel/plugin-transform-arrow-functions'] });

Source Map Generation

Generates source maps which help in debugging the original source code after it has been transformed by Babel.

require('@babel/core').transform('code', { sourceMaps: true });

Code Generation

Generates code from an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST). This is useful when you want to transform the AST directly or manipulate it before generating code.

require('@babel/core').transformFromAst(ast, 'code', { presets: ['@babel/preset-env'] });

Other packages similar to @babel/core

Readme

Source

babel-bridge

This repo holds what we're calling a "bridge" package that is meant to ease the transition for libraries that use "@babel/core" as a peer dependency for Babel 7, but still want to allow users to opt into Babel 6.

The issue with Babel 7's transition to scopes is that if a package depends on Babel 6, they may want to add support for Babel 7 alongside. Because Babel 7 will be released as @babel/core instead of babel-core, maintainers have no way to do that transition without making a breaking change. e.g.

peerDependencies: {
  "babel-core": "6.x"
}

cannot change to

peerDependencies: {
  "@babel/core": "6.x"
}

without it being a breaking change.

Solution

To address this, we're releasing this bridge package, to allow users to do

peerDependencies: {
  "@babel/core": "6 | ^7.0.0-0"
}

then where users of this package would originally have done

npm i some-package @babel/core

to install Babel 7, they could now do

npm i some-package @babel/core@^6.0.0-0 babel-core

to install the bridge package, and install Babel 6's core to be loaded via a peed dependency.

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Last updated on 24 Aug 2018

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