@babel/core

What is @babel/core?

@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

typescript

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript. It offers type checking and is aimed at the development of large applications. While it does transpile code, it is more focused on type safety and less on new syntax features.

esbuild

esbuild is an extremely fast JavaScript bundler and minifier. It also provides a limited set of transformation features, such as JSX and TypeScript support. It is not as extensible as Babel but is focused on speed and efficiency.

swc

swc is a super-fast compiler written in Rust that aims to be a drop-in replacement for Babel. It supports most of the modern JavaScript features and is focused on performance. It is gaining popularity in the JavaScript community for its speed.

README

@babel/core

Babel compiler core.

See our website @babel/core for more information or the issues associated with this package.

Install

Using npm:

npm install --save-dev @babel/core

or using yarn:

yarn add @babel/core --dev