Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Marked.js VS Babel

Compare Marked.js VS Babel and see what are their differences

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Marked.js logo Marked.js

A full-featured markdown parser and compiler, written in JavaScript. Built for speed.

Babel logo Babel

Babel is a compiler for writing next generation JavaScript.
  • Marked.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-23
  • Babel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-02

Marked.js features and specs

  • Performance
    Marked.js is known for its speed, being able to compile Markdown to HTML faster than many other libraries due to its efficient parsing and rendering processes.
  • Customization
    Marked.js allows extensive customization. You can modify its default behavior through options and use an event-driven architecture to integrate custom logic during parsing.
  • GitHub Flavored Markdown
    Marked.js supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), which is a very popular dialect of Markdown that includes features like tables, strikethrough, and task lists.
  • Extensibility
    Users can extend Marked.js with plugins to add additional features or modify existing functionality, offering flexibility for developers.

Possible disadvantages of Marked.js

  • Complexity
    Though customizable, Marked.js can be a bit complex for beginners to use effectively, especially when it involves deep customizations or handling edge cases.
  • Security
    Like many Markdown parsers, Marked.js does not sanitize input by default. This means developers must manually sanitize input to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
  • Bundle Size
    While performant, Marked.js may be larger in size compared to some lightweight Markdown parsers, which could be a consideration for performance-sensitive applications.
  • Learning Curve
    The library can have a steep learning curve for new users, especially for those who are not familiar with Markdown parser internals or Node.js environments.

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.

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.

Marked.js videos

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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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Marked.js and Babel)
Competitive Intelligence
100 100%
0% 0
Development Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Data Profiling
100 100%
0% 0
Javascript UI Libraries
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100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Babel should be more popular than Marked.js. It has been mentiond 147 times since March 2021. 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.

Marked.js mentions (16)

  • To learn svelte, I clone Github's issues page including useful features that you might consider reusing.
    📑 Marked Markdown parser. Use it to create your own markdown editor. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Better code highlighting on the web: rehype-tree-sitter
    Another contestant in this realm is Bright[1]. It runs entirely on the server and doesn't increase bundle size as seen here[2]. Regarding parsing speed tree-sitter is without a doubt performant since it is written in Rust, but I don't have any problems "parsing on every keystroke" with a setup containing Marked[3], highlight.js[4] and a sanitizer. I did however experience performance issues with other Markdown... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • [Project Share] List dialog that supports complex HTML and Markdown format.
    The project uses markedJS to convert markdown into HTML, this is their GitHub page. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Looking for a Comprehensive Guide for Building Complex Chatbots with GPT-4 API
    GPT API returns data in markdown format. You can parse it using a Markdown library and string manipulation. On Electron app I developed https://jhappsproducts.gumroad.com/l/gpteverywhere, I used https://github.com/markedjs/marked and a code syntax highlighting package to display code blocks. And used JavaScript string manipulation to detect when code blocks start and end so I could add COPY/SAVE buttons to the... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Releasing Longdown: Convert longform markdown files to outline format used by Logseq
    Did you look at the marked parser? (https://github.com/markedjs/marked) I'm using it for an upcoming plugin I'm working on. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

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 / about 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
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Marked.js and Babel, you can also consider the following products

Markdown-it - High-speed Markdown parser with 100% CommonMark support, extensions & syntax plugins.

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

Snarkdown - The super fast, 1kb Markdown parser in JavaScript

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

ShowdownJS - A Markdown to HTML converter written in JavaScript

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