prettier vs js-beautify | Code Formatting and Beautification Comparison

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

prettier	52,524,228	50,911	8.46 MB	1,486	2 months ago	MIT
js-beautify	5,451,649	8,836	982 kB	415	6 months ago	MIT

Package

Downloads

Stars

Size

Issues

Publish

License

prettier

52,524,228

50,911

8.46 MB

1,486

2 months ago

MIT

js-beautify

5,451,649

8,836

982 kB

415

6 months ago

MIT

Customization

prettier:
prettier provides limited customization to maintain consistency. It allows configuration of a few key settings (like tab width and single vs. double quotes) but discourages extensive customization to keep the code style uniform.
js-beautify:
js-beautify offers extensive customization options, allowing developers to specify rules for indentation, line length, and more. This flexibility makes it suitable for projects with specific formatting requirements.

Opinionated vs. Non-Opinionated

prettier:
prettier is an opinionated formatter that enforces a specific style. It aims to eliminate style debates by providing a consistent formatting approach, which can be particularly beneficial for teams.
js-beautify:
js-beautify is non-opinionated, meaning it does not enforce a specific style. Instead, it allows developers to define their own formatting rules, making it versatile for various coding standards.

Integration with Build Tools

prettier:
prettier is designed for seamless integration with modern development workflows. It works well with IDEs, CI/CD pipelines, and version control systems, making it easy to automate formatting across the codebase.
js-beautify:
js-beautify can be integrated into build processes and used as a standalone tool or library. It is flexible and can be incorporated into various workflows, but may require more setup for automated formatting.

Language Support

prettier:
prettier also supports multiple languages, but its strength lies in JavaScript and related ecosystems (like TypeScript, JSX, etc.). It is continuously expanding its language support, but may not be as comprehensive as js-beautify in this regard.
js-beautify:
js-beautify supports multiple languages, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. It is particularly useful for beautifying code snippets and files in these languages, making it a versatile tool for web developers.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

prettier:

Formatting JavaScript with prettier

const prettier = require('prettier');
const code = 'const x=1;function f(){return x;}';
const formattedCode = prettier.format(code, { parser: 'babel' });
console.log(formattedCode);

js-beautify:

Beautifying HTML with js-beautify

const beautify = require('js-beautify').html;
const html = '<div><p>Text</p></div>';
const options = { indent_size: 2, wrap_line_length: 40 };
const beautifiedHtml = beautify(html, options);
console.log(beautifiedHtml);

Opinionated Code Formatter

JavaScript · TypeScript · Flow · JSX · JSON
CSS · SCSS · Less
HTML · Vue · Angular
GraphQL · Markdown · YAML
Your favorite language?

Intro

Prettier is an opinionated code formatter. It enforces a consistent style by parsing your code and re-printing it with its own rules that take the maximum line length into account, wrapping code when necessary.

Input

foo(reallyLongArg(), omgSoManyParameters(), IShouldRefactorThis(), isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne());

Output

foo( reallyLongArg(), omgSoManyParameters(), IShouldRefactorThis(), isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne(), );

Prettier can be run in your editor on-save, in a pre-commit hook, or in CI environments to ensure your codebase has a consistent style without devs ever having to post a nit-picky comment on a code review ever again!