babel-core

What is babel-core?

The babel-core package is a part of Babel, a JavaScript compiler that allows developers to use next-generation JavaScript, today. It transforms ES6, ES7, and beyond into backwards compatible versions of JavaScript that can be run on older browsers and environments. It also allows for the use of JSX, Flow, TypeScript, and other features not natively supported in all environments.

What are babel-core's main functionalities?

Code Transformation

Transforms ES6/ES7 code to ES5. This is useful for compatibility with older browsers and environments.

babel.transform('code();', options);

File Transformation

Synchronously transforms the entire contents of a file. Useful for build processes.

babel.transformFileSync('filename.js', options);

AST Generation

Parses code to its Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) representation, which can be used for analysis or modification of the code.

babel.parse('code();', options);

Plugin/Preset Application

Applies Babel plugins and presets to the code, allowing for custom transformations and feature sets.

babel.transform('code();', { plugins: ['plugin-name'], presets: ['preset-name'] });

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. It is similar to Babel in that it processes modern JavaScript features, but it also introduces its own syntax and type system.

esbuild

Esbuild is an extremely fast JavaScript bundler and minifier. It also transpiles code, similar to Babel, but it focuses on build performance and speed, often outperforming Babel in these aspects.

swc

SWC is a super-fast compiler written in Rust that functions similarly to Babel. It focuses on speed and also offers minification. SWC can be a drop-in replacement for Babel in many cases, offering faster build times.

README

Diving into Babel

If you look around in the various directories in here you'll find some details about the organization of the Babel codebase.