@babel/plugin-transform-new-target

What is @babel/plugin-transform-new-target?

The @babel/plugin-transform-new-target npm package is designed to transform instances of the `new.target` meta-property within functions. This is particularly useful for compiling ES6 code to be compatible with environments that do not support the `new.target` syntax. The `new.target` property is used within constructors to determine if the constructor was called with the `new` operator, allowing constructors to identify how they were invoked and to behave differently if necessary.

What are @babel/plugin-transform-new-target's main functionalities?

Transforming new.target

This feature allows the transformation of `new.target` usage into a form that can be understood by environments that do not support this syntax. It checks if the constructor was called with `new` and throws an error if it wasn't, ensuring that the constructor behaves as intended even in older JavaScript environments.

function MyConstructor() {\n  if (!new.target) {\n    throw 'MyConstructor must be called with new';\n  }\n  console.log('MyConstructor was called with new');\n}\n// Transformed Code:\nfunction MyConstructor() {\n  var _newtarget = this instanceof MyConstructor ? this.constructor : void 0;\n  if (!_newtarget) {\n    throw 'MyConstructor must be called with new';\n  }\n  console.log('MyConstructor was called with new');\n}

Other packages similar to @babel/plugin-transform-new-target

@babel/plugin-transform-arrow-functions

Similar to @babel/plugin-transform-new-target, this package transforms ES6 arrow functions into function expressions that older JavaScript environments can understand. While it focuses on arrow functions rather than the `new.target` property, both plugins serve the purpose of making modern JavaScript code compatible with older environments.

@babel/plugin-transform-classes

This package transforms ES6 class syntax into equivalent ES5 constructor functions. Like @babel/plugin-transform-new-target, it deals with issues related to constructor functions and their invocation, ensuring that class-based code can run in environments that do not support the ES6 class syntax.

README

@babel/plugin-transform-new-target

Transforms new.target meta property

See our website @babel/plugin-transform-new-target for more information.

Install

Using npm:

npm install --save-dev @babel/plugin-transform-new-target

or using yarn:

yarn add @babel/plugin-transform-new-target --dev

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)