Registry / devops / babel-plugin-transform-define

babel-plugin-transform-define

library2.1.4jsnpmunverified

A Babel plugin for compile-time replacement of identifiers, member expressions, and typeof statements, similar to Webpack's DefinePlugin. The current stable version is 2.1.4 (released 2024-12-12), with a slow, maintenance-focused release cadence. Unlike Webpack's DefinePlugin which operates at the bundler level, this plugin works at the Babel transpilation stage, making it useful for library authors who want to define compile-time constants without a bundler. Key differentiator: supports replacing typeof expressions (e.g., "typeof window": "object") and member expressions (e.g., "process.env.NODE_ENV": "production"). Notable changes: v2.1.3 avoids replacing object keys to prevent bugs; v2.1.4 also prevents object property replacement. Maintenance status is stable, with no active feature development but continued bug/security fixes.

devops

npm install babel-plugin-transform-define

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · BABEL-PLUGIN-TRANS

babel-plugin-transform-define

devopsjavascriptv2.1.4

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.

default plugin

✓ no import needed; use in Babel config: ["transform-define", { ... }]

✗ import plugin from 'babel-plugin-transform-define'

This is a Babel plugin, not a runtime module. Configure it in .babelrc or programmatically via plugins array.

Babel config usage (JavaScript)

✓ module.exports = { plugins: [['transform-define', { 'process.env.NODE_ENV': 'production' }]] }

✗ require('babel-plugin-transform-define') in code

Use string or array syntax in Babel config; do not require() the plugin in application code.

Babel config usage (JSON)

✓ {"plugins": [["transform-define", {"process.env.NODE_ENV": "production"}]]}

✗ using require() in JSON

In .babelrc JSON, use array with tuple syntax. For dynamic config, use .babelrc.js.

Shows basic usage with member expression and identifier replacement, and dynamic config via .babelrc.js.

// Install: npm install --save-dev babel-plugin-transform-define // .babelrc.js const overrides = { 'DEBUG': 'true' }; module.exports = { plugins: [ ['transform-define', { 'process.env.NODE_ENV': 'production', 'typeof window': 'object', ...overrides }] ] }; // Input VERSION = '1.0.0'; if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') { console.log('Release'); } // Output (after Babel) "1.0.0"; if (true) { console.log('Release'); }

Debug

Known issues

gotchaObject keys are not replaced. Before v2.1.3, keys inside object literals could be unintentionally replaced, causing bugs.

fix

Upgrade to >=2.1.3. In older versions, avoid defining keys that match identifier replacements.

affects: <2.1.3

gotchaObject properties are not replaced. After v2.1.4, even property access expressions on objects are not replaced to avoid unintended side effects.

fix

Upgrade to >=2.1.4. In older versions, object property replacements may occur; wrap replacement values in quotes or use member expression replacements explicitly.

affects: <2.1.4

deprecatedThe plugin is in maintenance mode (stable). No new features planned, but bug fixes and security patches continue.

fix

Consider alternatives like @babel/plugin-transform-literals or custom babel macros if you need active feature development.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaReplacement values must be strings (or numbers/booleans) – objects or functions are not supported and will cause issues.

fix

Only use string, number, or boolean literal values. For complex replacements, use a different approach (e.g., babel macros).

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: Cannot find module 'babel-plugin-transform-define'

The plugin is not installed or installed as devDependency but not in the current environment.

fix

Run: npm install --save-dev babel-plugin-transform-define

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'includes')

Providing a non-object as the plugin options (e.g., an array instead of an object).

fix

Ensure the second argument to the plugin is an object: ['transform-define', { 'KEY': 'value' }]

The plugin 'transform-define' collides with another plugin or preset. Make sure that the order of plugins is correct.

Multiple plugins define the same identifier, causing conflicts.

fix

Reorder plugins or avoid defining overlapping replacements. Usually place transform-define early in the plugin list.

Unexpected token: operator

Using non-string keys in the replacement map (e.g., booleans or numbers as keys).

fix

Always use strings for keys: { 'process.env.NODE_ENV': 'production' }

Upgrade

Version history

2.1.4latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

7 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/FormidableLabs/babel-plugin-transform-define ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/babel-plugin-transform-define ↗