babel-install

2.1.0 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript maintenance

Declare and install Babel plugins and presets via CLI or programmatically. Current version 2.1.0. It automatically adds plugins/presets to .babelrc and installs npm packages, with shorthand CLI flags via yargs-parser. Warns on duplicate modules. Limited maintenance (last release 2016). Alternative to manual config edits for Babel 6.x era.

Common errors

error Error: Cannot find module 'babel-install' ↓

cause Package not installed locally or globally. babel-install is installed as a devDependency but not linked.

fix

Run npm i babel-install -DE in project root, then add node_modules/.bin to PATH or use npx babel-install.

error babel-install: command not found ↓

cause Local bin not accessible; PATH does not include ./node_modules/.bin.

fix

Run export PATH=./node_modules/.bin:$PATH or use npx babel-install instead.

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

cause Using wrong import (named instead of default) or not calling BabelInstaller() as a function.

fix

Use import BabelInstaller from 'babel-install' then BabelInstaller().installAndDeclare(...).

Warnings

deprecated babel-install is only compatible with Babel 6.x; Babel 7+ uses @babel/ scoped packages and new config format. ↓

fix Use @babel/core and manual configuration or tools like babel-preset-env.

breaking Programmatic API changed between v1 and v2. v1 used synchronous method; v2 uses callback. ↓

fix Use callback or wrap in promise; v1: BabelInstaller.installAndDeclare(plugins) (returns undefined).

gotcha CLI shorthand with --plugins and --presets strips babel-plugin- and babel-preset- prefixes; may install wrong package if not careful. ↓

fix Always verify package names; use full names for non-standard packages.

Install

npm install babel-install

yarn add babel-install

pnpm add babel-install

Imports

BabelInstaller

wrong

const BabelInstaller = require('babel-install')

correct

import BabelInstaller from 'babel-install'

Default export; no named exports.

BabelInstaller.installAndDeclare

wrong

BabelInstaller.installAndDeclare(plugins, callback)

correct

BabelInstaller().installAndDeclare(plugins, callback)

Must instantiate with BabelInstaller() first.

CLI

wrong

babel-install --presets es2015 --plugins transform-async-to-generator

correct

babel-install babel-preset-es2015 babel-plugin-transform-async-to-generator

Both forms work; shorthand preferred for clarity.

Quickstart

Install babel-install and use CLI to add presets/plugins to .babelrc and package.json.

npm i babel-install -DE
babel-install --presets es2015 --plugins transform-async-to-generator transform-es2015-arrow-functions
cat .babelrc
# {"presets":["es2015"],"plugins":["transform-es2015-arrow-functions","transform-async-to-generator"]}