@babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding

What is @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding?

The @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding package allows Babel to parse JavaScript code that uses optional catch binding syntax. This syntax feature enables developers to use try/catch blocks without the need to specify an error variable in the catch clause if they don't need access to the error. This can make the code cleaner and more concise in situations where the error is irrelevant.

What are @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding's main functionalities?

Optional Catch Binding Syntax

This feature allows developers to use try/catch blocks without having to bind the error object to a variable in the catch block. It's particularly useful when the error object is not used in the catch block.

try {
  // code that might throw an error
} catch {
  // handle the error without needing to bind it to a variable
}

Other packages similar to @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding

@babel/preset-env

While not a direct alternative, @babel/preset-env includes support for transforming modern JavaScript syntax, including optional catch binding, to be compatible with older environments. It's a more comprehensive solution that includes the functionality of @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding as part of its broader feature set.

typescript

TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript, supports optional catch binding syntax natively from version 2.5. While it's a different tool (a language that compiles to JavaScript rather than a Babel plugin), it offers a similar capability in terms of language syntax.

README

@babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding

This plugin allows Babel to parse optional catch bindings.

Example

Syntax

try {
  throw 0;
} catch {
  doSomethingWhichDoesntCareAboutTheValueThrown();
  console.log("Yay, code executes!");
}

Installation

npm install --save-dev @babel/plugin-syntax-optional-catch-binding

Usage

Via .babelrc (Recommended)

.babelrc

{
  "plugins": ["@babel/syntax-optional-catch-binding"]
}

Via CLI

babel --plugins @babel/syntax-optional-catch-binding script.js

Via Node API

require("@babel/core").transform("code", {
  plugins: ["@babel/syntax-optional-catch-binding"]
});

References

• Proposal: Optional Catch Binding for ECMAScript