JS Beautifier vs Prettier: What are the differences?

1. Key Difference 1: Syntax Support JS Beautifier focuses on formatting JavaScript code, providing support for different syntax styles, including the popular JS Beautify syntax. On the other hand, Prettier supports various programming languages beyond JavaScript, such as CSS, HTML, JSON, and Markdown, enhancing its versatility and applicability.

2. Key Difference 2: Opinionated vs Configurable JS Beautifier offers a range of configurable options, allowing developers to customize the formatting rules according to their preferences. In contrast, Prettier takes an opinionated approach by enforcing a consistent formatting style and offering minimal configuration. Prettier's style decisions are based on community best practices and conventions, reducing the need for manual adjustments.

3. Key Difference 3: White Space Handling JS Beautifier primarily focuses on formatting code structure while preserving white spaces already present in the code. It maintains the original indentation and formatting rules. Conversely, Prettier applies automatic and opinionated formatting to remove unnecessary white spaces, ensuring consistency and reducing the need to manually handle whitespace-related issues.

4. Key Difference 4: Code Reformatting JS Beautifier formats the code structure while preserving the existing code layout. It does not make significant changes to the original code, such as changing line breaks or aligning code elements. Prettier, however, performs a more extensive code reformatting, rearranging code elements, aligning parentheses, and swapping line breaks to enhance code readability and aesthetics.

5. Key Difference 5: Code Parsing and Rebuilding JS Beautifier modifies the code by utilizing a parsing mechanism to analyze the code structure and rebuilding it while adhering to the specified formatting rules. On the other hand, Prettier employs an advanced parsing engine that fully understands the code syntax, allowing it to make more accurate and sophisticated code formatting decisions, resulting in a more consistent and standardized output.

6. Key Difference 6: IDE Integration and Command Line Usage JS Beautifier provides IDE integrations and allows developers to run it as a stand-alone command-line tool, offering flexibility in various development workflows. Prettier also offers IDE integrations and command-line usage but is widely recognized for its seamless integration with popular code editors, providing a smoother and more convenient formatting experience.

In Summary, JS Beautifier primarily focuses on JavaScript code formatting with configurable options, while Prettier supports multiple programming languages, follows an opinionated style, and achieves more extensive code reformatting with accurate code parsing.