Babel
Babel is an open-source JavaScript transpiler that is available at no cost. A transpiler, also known as a source-to-source compiler, is a utility that interprets source code written in a specific programming language and generates the corresponding code in a different language. Primarily, Babel is utilized to transform code from ES6 (ECMAScript 2015) or higher into a version of JavaScript that is backward compatible (ES5), enabling it to function in any browser, including older ones. It is widely regarded as a valuable tool for leveraging the most recent features of the JavaScript programming language.
Babel employs polyfills to enable compatibility with features that are absent in certain JavaScript environments. For instance, static methods such as Array.from and built-in objects like Promise are exclusively found in ES6 and later versions; however, we can utilize them in earlier environments by incorporating a Babel polyfill.
TypeScript
TypeScript is a pure object-oriented programming language that is open-source. It serves as a strongly typed superset of JavaScript that compiles down to standard JavaScript. Direct execution of a TypeScript program in a browser is not possible; it requires a compiler to convert the code into a JavaScript file that can be run in the browser. The source files for TypeScript are saved with the ".ts" extension. Microsoft is responsible for the development and maintenance of TypeScript, which is released under the Apache 2 license.
Typescript can be utilized for web applications on both the server side and client side. Additionally, it is employed in the creation of extensive web applications. It enhances support for various features found in ECMAScript, which is overseen by the TC39 committee within the ECMA organization.
TypeScript was created by Anders Hejlsberg. The initial public release of TypeScript occurred on October 1, 2012. Following two years of internal development at Microsoft, TypeScript version 0.9 was launched in 2013. The latest version available is TypeScript 3.4.5, which was released on April 24, 2019.
TypeScript vs. Babel
The key distinctions between TypeScript and Babel can be observed in the table below.
| SN | TypeScript | Babel |
|---|---|---|
1. |
TypeScript is an open-source pure object-oriented programing language. It is a strongly typed superset of JavaScript which compiles to plain JavaScript. | Babel is a free and open-source JavaScript transpiler. It is mainly used to convert ES6 (ECMAScript 2015) or above version code into a backward compatible version (ES5) of JavaScript that can run on any browser. |
2. |
It is a programming language. | It is a tool (transpiler). |
3. |
TypeScript provides type checking of data types. | Babel does not care about types. |
4. |
TypeScript compiles an entire project at once. | Babel compiles only one file at a time. |
5. |
Typescript enables developers to use excellent typing capabilities. It is suitable for a large application. | Babel is suitable for developers who want to write plain JavaScript code using the latest language features. |
6. |
TypeScript is additional add-ons to JS, which allow for strong typing. | Babel is a transpiler (tool) that takes newer JS syntax features as input and returns older/more reliable syntax as output. |
7. |
It is developed and maintained by Microsoft. | It is closely linked to ECMA Technical Committee 39 (TC39). |
8. |
TypeScript compiles decorators directly. | Babel does not compile decorators directly. It has a legacy mode to compile the decorators with the old version. |