babar

library0.0.0jsnpmunverified

Babar is a minimalistic Node.js library, currently at version 0.2.3, designed to render simple bar charts directly in the command line interface using ASCII characters. It provides basic visualizations for quickly understanding data distributions without the need for advanced charting features. The package is lightweight, consisting of approximately 100 lines of code, and offers options for color output, custom dimensions, and axis scaling. Its development appears to be inactive, with the last release nearly a decade ago (published 9 years ago as of April 2026), making it suitable for very basic, quick console output rather than robust data visualization needs. Key differentiators are its extreme simplicity and small footprint, focusing solely on console-based bar chart rendering.

data

npm install babar

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · BABAR

babar

datajavascriptv0.0.0

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

babar

✓ const babar = require('babar');

✗ import babar from 'babar'; import { babar } from 'babar';

Babar is a CommonJS-only module. Attempting to use ESM import syntax will result in errors.

babar function call

✓ console.log(babar([[0, 1], [1, 5]]));

✗ console.log(new babar([[0, 1], [1, 5]]));

The imported 'babar' is a direct function, not a constructor. It returns a string representation of the chart.

Demonstrates how to import the babar function and generate a simple bar chart, both with default settings and custom options for styling and scaling, outputting ASCII art to the console.

const babar = require('babar'); // Basic usage with an array of [x, y] points console.log(babar([[0, 1], [1, 5], [2, 5], [3, 1], [4, 6]])); // Usage with custom options for colors, dimensions, and axis scaling console.log(babar([[0, 1], [1, 5], [2, 5], [3, 1], [4, 6]], { caption: 'Sample Data Distribution', color: 'green', grid: 'blue', width: 60, height: 12, maxY: 10, yFractions: 1 }));

Debug

Known issues

breakingBabar is a CommonJS-only module and does not natively support ES Modules (ESM) import syntax. Attempting to 'import' it directly in an ESM project will cause runtime errors.

fix

Use CommonJS 'require()' syntax. If in an ESM project, consider using a bundler like Webpack or Rollup, or a dynamic 'import()' call (with caution) to consume it.

affects: >=0.1.0

gotchaThe package is no longer actively maintained, with the last update nearly a decade ago. This implies a lack of security updates, bug fixes, or guaranteed compatibility with newer Node.js versions or modern development practices.

fix

Evaluate alternatives for critical applications or those requiring ongoing support. For basic, non-critical console output, it may still suffice but proceed with awareness of its abandoned status.

affects: >=0.2.3

gotchaBabar has significant limitations: it only supports single-dataset bar charts, linear axes, positive Y-values (minY cannot be negative), and numerical labels. It is not suitable for complex data visualization or rich interactive charts.

fix

Review the 'Limitations' section in the README to ensure it meets your specific needs. For advanced charting, explore more robust libraries like 'chart.js', 'd3', 'vega-lite', or 'plotly.js'.

affects: >=0.1.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module

Attempting to use `import babar from 'babar';` in a CommonJS-configured Node.js project or a script without `"type": "module"` in `package.json`.

fix

Change the import statement to `const babar = require('babar');`.

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module [path_to_node_modules]/babar/index.js from [your_script].js not supported.

Attempting to use `require('babar');` in a Node.js project configured as an ES Module (with `"type": "module"` in `package.json`).

fix

Babar is CJS-only. You must either configure your project as CommonJS or find an alternative library that supports ESM. If absolutely necessary, you might try dynamic `import('babar').then(mod => mod.default)` but this is not officially supported and can be fragile.

TypeError: babar is not a function

Incorrectly trying to destructure the default CommonJS export, e.g., `const { babar } = require('babar');`

fix

The 'babar' module exports a single function as its default. Import it directly: `const babar = require('babar');`

Upgrade

Version history

0.0.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

23 hits · last 30 days

node

OpenAI (training)

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/stephan83/babar ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/babar ↗