Babel
6.4#10 in code transpilersFree planFree planWebAPILinuxmacOS
VisitBabel vs SWC
What both publish
| Fact | Babel | SWC |
|---|---|---|
| Browser use | The standalone build can run in browsers and other non-Node.js environments, including compiling scripts marked text/babel or text/jsx. | The @swc/wasm-web module can synchronously transform code inside a browser using WebAssembly. |
| Community and support | Babel says it is maintained by volunteers and directs support questions to GitHub Discussions, Slack, Stack Overflow, or Bluesky. | SWC describes itself as community-driven and directs users to GitHub Discussions and Discord for community discussion. |
| Package managers | The docs show installation with npm, Yarn, pnpm, or Bun. | The getting started guide shows installation through npm, yarn, pnpm, bun, and deno. |
Babel plans
- BabelFree
SWC plans
- SWCFree
Pick Babel if…
Babel suits JavaScript developers who need to transform modern syntax for different browsers or environments, or convert JSX. It may also suit teams that want configurable plugin pipelines and source maps.
Pick SWC if…
SWC suits developers and build-tool authors working with JavaScript or TypeScript. It is also relevant to teams seeking compiler integrations with tools such as webpack, Rspack, or Jest.