@babel/helper-module-transforms

What is @babel/helper-module-transforms?

The @babel/helper-module-transforms package is part of the Babel toolchain, designed to assist in the transformation of ECMAScript modules. It provides utility functions and helpers that facilitate the conversion of ES6 module syntax (import/export) to various module systems (like CommonJS, AMD, UMD, etc.) that are compatible with different environments and bundlers. This package is mainly used internally by Babel plugins to abstract and simplify the handling of module transformations.

What are @babel/helper-module-transforms's main functionalities?

Transform ES6 import/export to CommonJS

This feature allows the transformation of ES6 module syntax into CommonJS syntax, enabling compatibility with environments that support CommonJS modules. The code sample demonstrates how an ES6 import statement is transformed into a CommonJS require call.

"use strict";\n\nvar _foo = require("foo");\n\nfunction _interopRequireDefault(obj) { return obj && obj.__esModule ? obj : { default: obj }; }\n\nvar _foo2 = _interopRequireDefault(_foo);\n\nconsole.log(_foo2.default);

Interoperability with default and named exports

Ensures interoperability between ES6 modules and CommonJS by handling default and named exports. The code sample shows how a default export in ES6 is transformed to be compatible with CommonJS, including the use of Object.defineProperty to simulate ES6 export behavior.

"use strict";\n\nObject.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", {\n  value: true\n});\nexports.default = void 0;\nvar _default = 'Hello, world!';\nexports.default = _default;

Other packages similar to @babel/helper-module-transforms

@babel/plugin-transform-modules-commonjs

This package is a Babel plugin that transforms ES6 modules to CommonJS modules. It is similar to @babel/helper-module-transforms in that it deals with module transformation, but it is specifically a plugin that can be added to Babel configurations to apply the transformation, whereas @babel/helper-module-transforms provides the underlying functionalities used by such plugins.

rollup-plugin-babel

While not a direct alternative, rollup-plugin-babel integrates Babel with Rollup, a module bundler. This plugin allows Rollup to use Babel for transforming JavaScript, including module syntax. It's similar in the sense that it deals with module transformations as part of the build process, but it operates within the Rollup ecosystem.

README

@babel/helper-module-transforms

Babel helper functions for implementing ES6 module transformations

See our website @babel/helper-module-transforms for more information.

Install

Using npm:

npm install --save @babel/helper-module-transforms

or using yarn:

yarn add @babel/helper-module-transforms

Changelog

v7.27.1 (2025-04-30)

:eyeglasses: Spec Compliance

• babel-parser
  • #17254 Allow using of as lexical declaration within for (@JLHwung)
  • #17230 Disallow get/set in TSPropertySignature (@JLHwung)
• babel-parser, babel-types
  • #17193 Stricter TSImportType options parsing (@JLHwung)

:bug: Bug Fix

• babel-plugin-proposal-destructuring-private, babel-plugin-proposal-do-expressions, babel-traverse
  • #17137 fix: do expressions should allow early exit (@kermanx)
• babel-helper-wrap-function, babel-plugin-transform-async-to-generator
  • #17251 Fix: propagate argument evaluation errors through async promise chain (@magic-akari)
• babel-helper-remap-async-to-generator, babel-plugin-transform-async-to-generator
  • #17231 fix apply()/call() annotated as pure (@Lacsw)
• babel-helper-fixtures, babel-parser
  • #17233 Create ChainExpression within TSInstantiationExpression (@JLHwung)
• babel-generator, babel-parser
  • #17226 Fill optional AST properties when both estree and typescript parser plugin are enabled (Part 2) (@JLHwung)
• babel-parser
  • #17224 Fill optional AST properties when both estree and typescript parser plugin are enabled (Part 1) (@JLHwung)
  • #17080 Fix start of TSParameterProperty (@JLHwung)
• babel-compat-data, babel-preset-env
  • #17228 Update firefox bugfix compat data (@JLHwung)
• babel-traverse
  • #17156 fix: Objects and arrays with multiple references should not be evaluated (@liuxingbaoyu)
• babel-generator
  • #17216 Fix: support const type parameter in generator (@JLHwung)

:nail_care: Polish

• babel-plugin-bugfix-v8-spread-parameters-in-optional-chaining, babel-plugin-proposal-decorators, babel-plugin-transform-arrow-functions, babel-plugin-transform-class-properties, babel-plugin-transform-destructuring, babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread, babel-plugin-transform-optional-chaining, babel-plugin-transform-parameters, babel-traverse
  • #17221 Reduce generated names size for the 10th-11th (@nicolo-ribaudo)

:house: Internal

• babel-runtime-corejs2, babel-runtime-corejs3, babel-runtime
  • #17263 Remove unused regenerator-runtime dep in @babel/runtime (@nicolo-ribaudo)
• babel-compat-data, babel-preset-env
  • #17256 Tune plugin compat data (@JLHwung)
• babel-compat-data, babel-standalone
  • #17236 migrate babel-compat-data build script to mjs (@JLHwung)
• Other
  • #17232 Bump typescript-eslint to 8.29.1 (@JLHwung)
  • #17219 test: add basic typescript-eslint integration tests (@JLHwung)
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
• babel-register
  • #16844 Migrate @babel/register to cts (@liuxingbaoyu)
• babel-cli, babel-compat-data, babel-core, babel-generator, babel-helper-compilation-targets, babel-helper-fixtures, babel-helper-module-imports, babel-helper-module-transforms, babel-helper-plugin-test-runner, babel-helper-transform-fixture-test-runner, babel-helpers, babel-node, babel-parser, babel-plugin-transform-modules-amd, babel-plugin-transform-modules-commonjs, babel-plugin-transform-modules-systemjs, babel-plugin-transform-modules-umd, babel-plugin-transform-react-display-name, babel-plugin-transform-regenerator, babel-plugin-transform-runtime, babel-plugin-transform-typeof-symbol, babel-plugin-transform-typescript, babel-preset-env, babel-register, babel-standalone, babel-types
  • #17207 Enforce node protocol import (@JLHwung)
• babel-plugin-transform-regenerator
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
• babel-helpers, babel-plugin-transform-async-generator-functions, babel-plugin-transform-regenerator, babel-preset-env, babel-runtime-corejs3
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
• babel-helpers, babel-plugin-transform-regenerator
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)
• babel-helpers
  • #17205 Inline regenerator in the relevant packages (@nicolo-ribaudo)

:microscope: Output optimization

• babel-helpers, babel-plugin-transform-modules-commonjs, babel-runtime-corejs3
  • #16538 Reduce interopRequireWildcard size (@liuxingbaoyu)
• babel-helpers, babel-plugin-transform-async-generator-functions, babel-plugin-transform-regenerator, babel-preset-env, babel-runtime-corejs3
  • #17213 Reduce regeneratorRuntime size (@liuxingbaoyu)