babel-codemod

2.1.2 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript maintenance

babel-codemod version 2.1.2 (up to 2.1.5) rewrites JavaScript and TypeScript files using Babel plugins, leveraging recast to preserve original formatting with minimal changes. It supports local and remote plugins (e.g., AST Explorer URLs), with optional Prettier output. It includes built-in transpilation via @babel/preset-env and experimental TypeScript support via @babel/preset-typescript. Compared to alternatives like jscodeshift, it uses standard Babel plugins and APIs, reducing the learning curve for Babel users. Active until 2019, now in maintenance mode; requires Node >=6.

Common errors

error Error: Cannot find module '@babel/parser' ↓

cause Missing dependency @babel/parser required since v2.1.1

fix

npm install @babel/parser or upgrade to v2.1.2+ that explicitly depends on it.

error Error: Requires Babel 7, but found Babel 6 ↓

cause Using a Babel 6 plugin with babel-codemod v2.x which expects Babel 7 plugins

fix

Use @babel/plugin-* packages for Babel 7, or downgrade to babel-codemod v1.x.

error TypeError: Cannot read property 'parse' of undefined ↓

cause Invalid plugin syntax or plugin not exporting a function

fix

Ensure the plugin exports a function that returns a visitor object.

error Error: No babel config found, but --find-babel-config flag used ↓

cause No .babelrc or babel.config.js found in the project

fix

Create a .babelrc file with the desired plugins/presets, or remove --find-babel-config.

Warnings

gotcha Remote plugins execute with full user privileges; only use trusted sources to avoid security risks. ↓

fix Avoid using --remote-plugin with untrusted URLs.

breaking Version 2.0.0 upgraded to Babel 7; plugins must be compatible with Babel 7 API. ↓

fix Ensure all plugins are written for Babel 7. Use @babel/plugin-* packages.

gotcha TypeScript support is experimental via @babel/preset-typescript; not all valid TypeScript is supported. ↓

fix Check babel issues for TypeScript support gaps.

deprecated Experimental TypeScript transpilation may be removed in future versions. ↓

fix Prepare to migrate to official TypeScript compiler if needed.

gotcha When using --find-babel-config, .babelrc lookup rules apply; missing config may cause unexpected behavior. ↓

fix Ensure .babelrc is present and all referenced presets/plugins are installed locally.

Install

npm install babel-codemod

yarn add babel-codemod

pnpm add babel-codemod

Imports

codemod (CLI)

wrong

babel-codemod --plugin my-plugin src/ (without npx if not globally installed)

correct

npx babel-codemod --plugin my-plugin src/

CLI is invoked via `codemod` command or npx. No programmatic API is exposed by default.

babel plugin as codemod
wrong
```
Importing babel-codemod as a library in code
```
correct
```
// Use any Babel plugin directly via --plugin flag
```
babel-codemod is CLI-only; there is no programmatic API. Plugins are standard Babel plugins.

Quickstart

Demonstrates installing babel-codemod and running a Babel plugin on files, including local and remote plugin usage.

# Install globally or use npx
npm install -g babel-codemod
# Run a Babel plugin on a file
codemod --plugin @babel/plugin-transform-arrow-functions src/index.js
# Run a remote plugin from AST Explorer (use with caution)
codemod --remote-plugin https://astexplorer.net/#/gist/... src/
# Use local plugin with custom babel config
codemod --find-babel-config --plugin ./my-plugin.js src/