Prism
A small JavaScript library that colors source code syntax on web pages.
- Stars
- 13.1k
- Forks
- 1.4k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 22 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
Prism is a syntax highlighting library: it takes code snippets and adds color to keywords, strings, and other parts so they are easier to read. It is a spin-off of the Dabblet project and is described in the README as lightweight, robust, and elegant. Website authors and developers use it to display code in documentation and blogs.
- Add colored code blocks to a blog or documentation site
- Choose from a set of language definitions to highlight different programming languages
- Customize the look by applying a theme, with more themes available in the separate prism-themes project
Great for
- Web developers who want to show code snippets on a website
- Documentation writers who need readable code blocks
- Developers who want to extend highlighting with custom language definitions or plugins
Not ideal for
- People who only want a finished editor or IDE, since Prism is a highlighting library, not an editing tool
- Teams that need new feature development right now, because the README says only security-relevant PRs are being accepted while Prism v2 is in progress
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
Install dependencies for contributing (from README)
npm ciBuild Prism (from README)
npm run build - 2
Run it
- Include Prism's files in a web page or install the prismjs package from npm
- Mark up a code block with a language class as described on prismjs.com
- Load the page and confirm the code is colored
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Browse the language components and plugins listed on prismjs.com before writing custom ones
- Use the extending documentation at prismjs.com/extending.html to create a new language definition
- Try community themes from the prism-themes project
Downloads
Strengths
- Described by its authors as lightweight and extensible
- Released under the permissive MIT license
- Has an active public project with a documented extension system
Trade-offs
- The README states that only security-relevant pull requests are being accepted while Prism v2 is being worked on, so new features may be slow to arrive
- The README notes that the maintainer's time is limited, so reviews of larger changes may take a long time
- Contributors who add a language definition become responsible for its bug reports
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| prism (this) | 13.1k | Library | beginner | 22 days ago | Web developers who want to show code snippets on a website |
| shiki | 13.9k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers building documentation or blog sites that show code samples |
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.