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Babel VS Native Directory

Compare Babel VS Native Directory and see what are their differences

Babel logo Babel

Babel is a compiler for writing next generation JavaScript.

Native Directory logo Native Directory

A curated list of React Native libraries.
  • Babel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-02
  • Native Directory Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17

Babel features and specs

  • JavaScript Version Compatibility
    Babel allows developers to write code using the latest JavaScript features and syntax, and transpile it into a version of JavaScript that can run on older browsers. This ensures greater compatibility across different environments.
  • Future-Proof Code
    With Babel, developers can start using upcoming JavaScript features today. This means that codebases can stay modern and developers can take advantage of new functionalities without waiting for full browser support.
  • Ecosystem and Plugins
    Babel has a rich ecosystem of plugins and presets that can extend its capabilities, making it highly adaptable to different project needs. This modularity allows for customization and enhancement of the build process.
  • Integration with Modern Development Tools
    Babel integrates well with various development tools such as Webpack, making it easier to include in existing build processes and workflows. This helps streamline development and maintain efficient workflows.
  • Community and Support
    Babel has a large and active community, which means extensive documentation, tutorials, and support forums. This can be particularly useful for troubleshooting and staying updated with best practices.

Possible disadvantages of Babel

  • Performance Overhead
    Transpiling code with Babel introduces a performance overhead during the build process. This can slow down development workflows, especially for large codebases with many files.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Setting up Babel can be complex, particularly for beginners. The numerous options and plugins available can sometimes be overwhelming and require significant time to configure correctly.
  • Source Map Issues
    Generating accurate source maps can sometimes be tricky with Babel, leading to difficulties in debugging. Misconfigured source maps can make it harder to track down issues within the original source code.
  • Dependency Bloat
    Including Babel in a project can add a significant number of dependencies. This dependency bloat can increase the size of the project and potentially introduce maintenance challenges or security vulnerabilities.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a learning curve associated with Babel, especially for developers who are new to modern JavaScript tooling. Understanding how Babel works and how to effectively use its features can take time and effort.

Native Directory features and specs

  • Comprehensive Collection
    Native Directory offers a wide range of React Native libraries and components, providing developers with a comprehensive resource for finding tools that suit their project needs.
  • Categorization
    The directory categorizes components and libraries, making it easy for developers to find resources related to specific functionality or use cases.
  • Community Contributions
    Being a community-driven platform, it benefits from contributions from developers worldwide, ensuring the addition of new and updated libraries over time.
  • User Ratings and Reviews
    It includes user ratings and reviews, which help developers assess the quality and reliability of a library or component before integrating it into their projects.
  • Regular Updates
    Native Directory is regularly updated with new libraries and information, keeping users informed about the latest tools and trends in React Native development.

Possible disadvantages of Native Directory

  • Variable Quality
    Given that it aggregates a wide range of libraries, there's a variability in the quality and maintenance of these resources, which can lead to experimenting with less reliable components.
  • Overwhelming Choices
    The sheer number of available options can be overwhelming for new developers, making it challenging to decide on the best tools for their projects.
  • Deprecation Risk
    Some libraries listed might become deprecated or abandoned, requiring developers to switch to alternatives, leading to potential refactoring.
  • Limited Customization Information
    While it provides basic information, Native Directory may not cover detailed customization and integration processes for each library, leaving developers to do additional research.

Analysis of Babel

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Babel is widely considered a good tool for modern JavaScript development. It eases the use of cutting-edge JavaScript features and ensures broader compatibility, which is crucial for many projects. Its active community and continuous updates reflect its standing as a reliable and well-supported choice.

Why this product is good

  • Babel is a popular JavaScript compiler that allows developers to use the latest JavaScript features while maintaining compatibility with older environments that may not support these features natively. It transforms modern JavaScript code into a version that can run in current and older browsers or environments. Babel is highly configurable and has a rich ecosystem of plugins and presets that enable developers to tailor it to their specific needs, making development smoother and more efficient.

Recommended for

    Babel is recommended for web developers who want to write modern JavaScript but need to ensure that their code remains functional across different environments and older browsers. It is also valuable for projects where developers aspire to use the latest ECMAScript features without waiting for broad native support.

Babel videos

Babel - Movie Review

More videos:

  • Review - Day 16 | Babel Review | 365 Films
  • Review - Worth The Hype? - BABEL Review
  • Review - Book CommuniTEA: Is BABEL a rac1st mani!fest0? [you should know the answer]
  • Review - Babel is a Masterpiece, And Here's Why

Native Directory videos

No Native Directory videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Babel and Native Directory)
Development Tools
94 94%
6% 6
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0
JavaScript Framework
83 83%
17% 17
Libraries And Widgets
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Babel seems to be a lot more popular than Native Directory. While we know about 147 links to Babel, we've tracked only 12 mentions of Native Directory. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Babel mentions (147)

  • Valentine’s Day Breakup: React Dumps Create React App
    Create React App (CRA) is a command-line interface tool that allows developers to set up a React project easily. It primarily serves as a project scaffolding tool, allowing you to create a new project with a single command: npx create-react-app . CRA comes with tools like Webpack and Babel, which handle the bundling and transpiling of code. The tools are pre-configured. It comes with a development server that... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • #wecode Landing Page - WeCoded Challenge March 2025
    @vitejs/plugin-react uses Babel for Fast Refresh. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • You Don’t Know JS Yet: My Weekly Journey Through JavaScript Mastery
    For new and incompatible syntax, the solution is transpiling—converting newer JS syntax to older syntax that can run on older engines. The most popular transpiler? Babel. This process ensures modern JS code can still reach a wide audience, even on legacy systems. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Desktop apps for Windows XP in 2025
    Fortunately we have tools like PostCSS and Babel, that let you target your specific Browser version, and they'll do their best to transpile and polyfill your code to work with that version. This alone will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you if you are working with a lot of code. However, if you are just writing out a few HTML, CSS, and JS files, then that would be overkill and you can just figure out what code... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • The Tools and APIs That Made My GeoGuessr 🌍 Project Possible
    Cross-Browser Compatibility: Some features worked differently across browsers. I used Babel to transpile my JavaScript code, ensuring it worked consistently everywhere. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
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Native Directory mentions (12)

  • React Native Package Checker: Simplify Your New Architecture Migration
    While tools like Expo Doctor and React Native Directory are valuable, React Native Package Checker offers unique benefits:. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Journeying from React to React Native
    💡 Some React libraries may not be compatible with all React Native platforms due to DOM dependencies, however you can check the platform compatibility of all the libraries at: (https://reactnative.directory). - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • What’s RN’s version of Material-UI or Tailwind for React?
    If you want to see what supports RN and web, just go to reactnative.directory and filter with the web box checked. https://reactnative.directory/?web=true. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Flutter vs React Native VS Swift, Which would be the better choice for a Startup
    You're on an RN sub so "RN is the best choice" is what you'll get. Ultimately when it comes to making the decision you need to decide what's most important. Flutter offers somewhat better performance than react native, however, React Native has a massive culmination of community released libraries, that's not to say flutter doesn't have the same. Additionally, should you be midway through your project and notice... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Noob Q: Can I use regular react native components with expo?
    And are there any other sites like https://reactnative.directory/ that I should be checking out for ready made components? Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Babel and Native Directory, you can also consider the following products

jQuery - The Write Less, Do More, JavaScript Library.

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

React Native Desktop - Build OS X desktop apps using React Native

Composer - Composer is a tool for dependency management in PHP.

NativeBase - Experience the awesomeness of React Native without the pain

OpenSSL - OpenSSL is a free and open source software cryptography library that implements both the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, which are primarily used to provide secure communications between web browsers and …