@babel/core vs core-js: What are the differences?

# Introduction

## Key Differences between @babel/core and core-js

1. **Primary Purpose**: The main difference between @babel/core and core-js lies in their primary purpose. @babel/core is a JavaScript compiler that is primarily used to convert ECMAScript 2015+ code into a backwards-compatible version of JavaScript that can be run on older browsers. On the other hand, core-js is a modular standard library that includes polyfills for ECMAScript standard features.

2. **Usage**: While @babel/core is typically used during the build process to transpile code, core-js is used within the code itself as a dependency. @babel/core is integrated into build pipelines and focuses on transforming JavaScript code, whereas core-js is imported into the codebase to provide missing features for older environments.

3. **Customization Options**: @babel/core provides a wide range of customization options through plugins, presets, and other configurations to tailor the compilation process according to specific requirements. In contrast, core-js offers a more fixed set of polyfills for ECMAScript features that need to be included directly in the codebase.

4. **Dependency Management**: Another key difference lies in dependency management. @babel/core is essentially a development dependency that is used during the build process and is not typically included in the final production code. On the other hand, core-js is often a runtime dependency and needs to be present in the final output to ensure compatibility with older environments.

5. **Compatibility**: @babel/core focuses more on ensuring compatibility with different JavaScript syntax features and standards, providing a solution for developers to write modern JavaScript code. Core-js, on the other hand, addresses compatibility issues related to specific ECMAScript features by providing polyfills that mimic the behavior of these features in older environments.

6. **Community Support**: @babel/core has a strong community support, regular updates, and a well-documented ecosystem due to its widespread usage in modern JavaScript development. Core-js, while also widely used, may have a relatively smaller community compared to @babel/core but offers comprehensive support for ECMAScript features through its polyfills.

In Summary, @babel/core and core-js serve different primary purposes: the former as a JavaScript compiler for code transformation, while the latter as a standard library with polyfills for ECMAScript features, each with unique customization options, usage scenarios, and community support.