Babel
A compiler that converts newer JavaScript into versions older browsers and runtimes can run.
- Stars
- 44.1k
- Forks
- 6k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
Babel is a tool that lets you write modern JavaScript and then converts it into an older form that environments without support for those features can still run. The README gives an example of turning a newer nullish-coalescing operator into an equivalent older expression. Developers use it as a build step in web projects so they can use new language features without waiting for every browser to support them.
- Compile modern JavaScript syntax into a form targeting specific browser versions
- Try out transformations interactively in the Babel REPL linked from the README
- Use the monorepo's packages, such as @babel/core, as part of a project's build process
Great for
- Web developers who want to use recent JavaScript syntax while still supporting older browsers
- Teams with a build pipeline that can add a compile step
- Library authors who need output that runs in a range of environments
- Developers curious how JavaScript syntax transforms work under the hood
Not ideal for
- People who only write code for modern browsers or Node versions that already support every feature they use, since there may be nothing to compile
- Non-developers looking for an app with a graphical interface; the README describes a command-line and build-tool library
- Anyone needing a full guide to setup; the README points to external docs at babeljs.io for detailed usage
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js (version not specified in the README excerpt)
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/babel/babel - 2
Run it
- Read the documentation at babeljs.io to choose and configure your presets and plugins
- Install the core packages into your project using your package manager
- Add a Babel configuration file to your project
- Run Babel on a sample file and compare the input and output
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the online REPL at babel.dev/repl to preview transformations before adding them to a project
- Choose target browsers or environments so only the needed transforms are applied, as the example REPL link suggests
- Read CONTRIBUTING.md if you want to work on the monorepo itself
- Follow the babel/proposals repository to track TC39 proposals Babel is working on
Downloads
Strengths
- Widely used, with 44,052 GitHub stars and a large npm download count shown in the README
- Open source under the MIT license
- Actively pushed to, with a recent release listed as v8.0.9
Trade-offs
- The README is short on setup detail and points elsewhere for documentation
- Configuration and plugin choices are not described in this README excerpt, so setup may take learning
- Maintained largely by volunteers, as the README states, which may affect response times
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| babel (this) | 44.1k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who want to use recent JavaScript syntax while still supporting older browsers |
| esbuild | 40.1k | Dev tool | intermediate | 3 months ago | Developers who want fast builds for JavaScript, TypeScript, or CSS projects |
| parcel | 44k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | Web developers who want a bundler that works without a config file |
| core-js | 25.5k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who must support older browsers or engines that lack modern JavaScript features |
| electron-vue | 15.3k | Learning resource | intermediate | 4.8 years ago | Developers who already know Vue and want to build a desktop app |
| javascript | 148k | Learning resource | beginner | 7 months ago | Teams that want one shared JavaScript style without debating every rule |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.