Babel

Babel is a JavaScript compiler. It takes code written with newer JavaScript syntax and emits code for the environments a project targets. The usage guide keeps the configuration, including the presets, in a babel.config file in the project root.

The project publishes its modules as packages under the @babel scope. @babel/core is the package the install docs list first, and @babel/cli compiles a source directory to an output directory from a terminal. The setup docs list integrations with build systems, test frameworks and template engines.

Worth knowing

The current major declares a higher minimum Node.js version than the earlier major did.