What is @babel/helper-plugin-utils?
The @babel/helper-plugin-utils package is designed to simplify the creation and management of Babel plugins. It provides utility functions that help in validating and constructing Babel plugins with the correct structure and options. This package is particularly useful for developers working on custom Babel plugins, as it abstracts away some of the boilerplate code required for plugin development.
What are @babel/helper-plugin-utils's main functionalities?
Creating a simple Babel plugin
This code sample demonstrates how to use the `declare` function from @babel/helper-plugin-utils to create a simple Babel plugin. The `declare` function takes a callback that receives the Babel API, plugin options, and the directory name. Inside the callback, you can define your plugin logic under the `visitor` object, targeting specific types of AST nodes.
const { declare } = require('@babel/helper-plugin-utils');
const myPlugin = declare((api, options, dirname) => {
api.assertVersion(7);
return {
visitor: {
Identifier(path) {
// Plugin logic goes here
}
}
};
});
module.exports = myPlugin;
Other packages similar to @babel/helper-plugin-utils
@babel/core
While not a utility for creating plugins directly, @babel/core is the core library of the Babel ecosystem and provides the API for transforming code. It is often used alongside @babel/helper-plugin-utils for developing custom Babel plugins. Compared to @babel/helper-plugin-utils, @babel/core is more comprehensive and includes functionalities for parsing, transforming, and generating code.
babel-plugin-tester
babel-plugin-tester is a package designed to help test Babel plugins. It provides a simple and powerful API for writing tests for your Babel plugins, making it easier to ensure they work as expected. While @babel/helper-plugin-utils aids in the creation of plugins, babel-plugin-tester complements it by offering a streamlined testing workflow.