BABEL.JS(1)

💖 BABEL.JS 💖

okay bestie, sit down, hydrate, because we're talking about babel.js — the compiler for writing next generation JavaScript ✨ It's a User Command, it lives in section 1 of the manual (the one for actual commands you type, iykyk), and honestly? it's giving main character energy in every JS build pipeline ever. 🎀

---

🌸 NAME 🌸

babel.js — the compiler for writing next generation JavaScript 🦋

Like, you write the fancy new syntax, and babel just handles it. No cap. 💅

---

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

babel [options] <files ...>

that's it, that's the whole vibe. options go in, files go in, out comes ✨compiled✨ JavaScript. 🫶

---

👑 OPTIONS 👑

okay so here's the full menu, and yes we're going through every single one because you deserve the whole tea, not a summary. 💜

• -f, --filename [filename] — the filename to use when reading from stdin. this shows up in source-maps, errors, etc. so like, when your code is screaming at you, at least it knows your name 🥺
• --presets [list] — a comma-separated list of preset names. (comma-separated! don't be out here writing spaces like a menace) 🌈
• --plugins [list] — a comma-separated list of plugin names. same deal, commas, bestie 🎀
• --config-file [path] — path to a .babelrc file to use. point it at your config and go 💅
• --env-name [name] — the name of the 'env' to use when loading configs and plugins. defaults to the value of BABEL_ENV, or else NODE_ENV, or else 'development'. so the fallback chain is: BABEL_ENV → NODE_ENV → 'development'. periodt. 🔥
• --root-mode [mode] — the project-root resolution mode. one of 'root' (that's the default, the standard, the moment), 'upward', or 'upward-optional'. ⭐
• --source-type [script|module] — yeah so that's the option, script or module, and that's literally all it says. no extra description, we move. 💀
• --no-babelrc — whether or not to look up .babelrc and .babelignore files. 🧚
• --ignore [list] — list of glob paths to not compile. emphasis on the not, bestie, these ones get skipped 🙈
• --only [list] — list of glob paths to only compile. the exclusive list. the VIP section. 👑
• --no-highlight-code — enable or disable ANSI syntax highlighting of code frames. it's on by default, so this is how you turn the sparkle off ✨
• --no-comments — write comments to generated output. it's true by default. yeah the flag is named "no-comments" and the description says "write comments" — I know, I know, that's literally just how it's written, I'm not touching it 😭
• --retain-lines — retain line numbers. and the manpage itself says this will result in really ugly code. their words, not mine. you have been warned 💀
• --compact [true|false|auto] — do not include superfluous whitespace characters and line terminators. tightening it up, slimming it down 🎀
• --minified — save as many bytes when printing. false by default. when you want it smol. 🐜
• --auxiliary-comment-before [string] — print a comment before any injected non-user code. (the code that babel added, not yours) 💬
• --auxiliary-comment-after [string] — print a comment after any injected non-user code. 💬
• -s, --source-maps [true|false|inline|both] — that's the option, those are the values, no further description given. four choices, pick your fighter 🌈
• --source-map-target [string] — set file on the returned source map. 🎯
• --source-file-name [string] — set sources[0] on the returned source map. yes, specifically index zero. 🎯
• --source-root [filename] — the root from which all sources are relative. the origin point, the home base 🏠
• --module-root [filename] — optional prefix for the AMD module formatter that will be prepended to the filename on module definitions. 🧩
• -M, --module-ids — insert an explicit id for modules. no more guessing, the modules get names 🔖
• --module-id [string] — specify a custom name for module ids. you pick the name, bestie 💅
• -x, --extensions [extensions] — list of extensions to compile when a directory has been the input. the default set is [.js,.jsx,.es6,.es,.mjs,.cjs] 📁
• --keep-file-extension — preserve the file extensions of the input files. don't rename my babies 🥺
• -w, --watch — recompile files on changes. it's literally watching. it sees everything. 👀
• --skip-initial-build — do not compile files before watching. just watch. no initial build. 🤫
• -o, --out-file [out] — compile all input files into a single file. everything, together, one file 🫶
• -d, --out-dir [out] — compile an input directory of modules into an output directory. folder in, folder out 📂
• --relative — compile into an output directory relative to input directory or file. requires --out-dir [out] so like, don't try it without that one, it needs its partner 🫠
• -D, --copy-files — when compiling a directory, copy over non-compilable files. don't leave the stragglers behind 🎒
• --include-dotfiles — include dotfiles when compiling and copying non-compilable files. yes, even the ones starting with a dot, they're invited too 🎀
• --no-copy-ignored — exclude ignored files when copying non-compilable files. if it's ignored, it stays ignored, no exceptions 🚫
• --verbose — log everything. this option conflicts with --quiet ⚠️ pick a side, bestie
• --quiet — don't log anything. this option conflicts with --verbose ⚠️ yeah, same conflict, other direction
• --delete-dir-on-start — delete the out directory before compilation. clean slate, fresh start, no baggage 🧹
• --out-file-extension [string] — use a specific extension for the output files. 🏷️
• -V, --version — output the version number 🔢
• -h, --help — display help for command. (hi, that's me, I'm the help) 🙋♀️

---

quick reminder bestie: --verbose and --quiet literally conflict with each other, so don't pass both unless you're trying to start drama in your terminal 💀

---

and that's the whole page, no skips, no cuts, every flag accounted for 💖

this was babel.js, version 7.20.15+ds1+~cs214.2..., from February 2025, and yeah that version string is a whole mouthful but we love her anyway 🌸 thanks for reading, go compile something cute, mwah 💅✨🦋