Babel Formatter
Format modern JavaScript (Babel parser) including JSX and the latest syntax. It runs entirely on your device — nothing is uploaded.
Example
Format modern JavaScript (Babel parser) including JSX and the latest syntax.
How it works
Using Prettier's Babel parser, your modern JS/JSX is parsed and re-printed with a consistent style.
Good to know
The Babel Formatter takes raw JavaScript or JSX and re-prints it with consistent indentation, quote style, line breaks, and spacing using Prettier's Babel parser. Because it relies on Babel rather than a stricter parser, it accepts the newest language syntax — JSX elements, optional chaining, nullish coalescing, decorators, top-level await, and other proposals — without choking on code that a plain ECMAScript formatter might reject. It is aimed at React and front-end developers who paste a component or snippet and want it cleaned up instantly without wiring up a build step.
Reach for it when you have unformatted code from a Stack Overflow answer, a code review comment, a generated snippet, or a quick experiment, and you want it to match a tidy, predictable style before committing or sharing it. It is also handy for normalizing inconsistent indentation across pasted fragments, or for sanity-checking that a piece of JSX is syntactically valid — if the formatter parses and re-prints it, the code is at least well-formed.
Reading the result is straightforward: the output is your same program, semantically identical, only restyled. The formatter never changes what your code does; it only changes how it looks. If it returns an error or fails to format instead of producing output, that almost always means there is a genuine syntax error in the input — an unclosed brace, a stray token, or invalid JSX — which makes it a useful first-pass validity check.
- Tip: This tool formats but does not lint or transpile — it will not catch unused variables, type errors, or convert JSX to plain JavaScript. For TypeScript-specific syntax use the dedicated TypeScript Formatter, and remember that everything here runs locally in your browser, so even proprietary code stays on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — everything runs in your browser. Your code never leaves your device, so it's safe for private work and runs offline once loaded.
Is this tool free?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up and no limits.
People also ask
What is the difference between the Babel formatter and the Babel transpiler?
The formatter only restyles your code's appearance while keeping it as the same modern JavaScript. The transpiler (the full Babel compiler) actually converts modern or JSX syntax into older JavaScript that more browsers can run. This tool formats only and does not transpile.
Can this format JSX and React components?
Yes. The Babel parser supports JSX, so React component files and inline JSX are parsed and re-printed correctly, including attribute wrapping and nested elements.
Does Prettier's Babel parser support the latest JavaScript syntax?
It supports current ECMAScript features plus several proposals such as optional chaining, nullish coalescing, decorators, and top-level await. Very experimental or non-standard syntax may still fail to parse.
Will formatting my code change how it behaves?
No. Formatting only adjusts whitespace, line breaks, quotes, and other stylistic choices. The program's logic and output remain identical after formatting.
Should I use the Babel formatter or the TypeScript formatter for my files?
Use the Babel formatter for plain JavaScript and JSX. If your file contains TypeScript-specific syntax such as type annotations, interfaces, or generics, use the TypeScript Formatter instead so those constructs are parsed correctly.
Why does the formatter throw an error instead of formatting my code?
An error usually means the input has a syntax problem the parser cannot resolve, such as a missing bracket, an unclosed string, or invalid JSX. Fix the reported syntax issue and try again.
Can I format JavaScript that uses import and export statements?
Yes. The Babel parser handles ES module syntax including import and export declarations, so module-style files are formatted the same as any other JavaScript.
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