Prettier is an opinionated code formatter that helps to enforce a consistent coding style across a project. It achieves this by parsing your code and re-printing it with its own rules, taking into account the maximum line length and wrapping code where necessary. The versatile tool supports various languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, SCSS, HTML, Vue, Angular, and many more. By championing streamlined and clean code, Prettier not only enhances code readability but also minimizes the time developers spend on code review.
You can use Prettier in several ways. One common method is to run it in your code editor every time you save changes. This ensures that every piece of code you write adheres to the same style. For instance, if you have a long line of code like the one below:
foo(reallyLongArg(), omgSoManyParameters(), IShouldRefactorThis(), isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne());
Applying Prettier would automatically reformat it in a more readable format:
foo(
reallyLongArg(),
omgSoManyParameters(),
IShouldRefactorThis(),
isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne(),
);
You can also configure Prettier to run in a pre-commit hook or in CI environments, offering another chance to standardize the code style across your codebase before any changes are committed or deployed.
For a comprehensive guide on how to use Prettier, delve into the official Prettier documentation. Here, you'll find everything from how to install the package, customize the options, leverage the Command Line Interface (CLI) and API, and much more. There's also a dedicated Playground page where you can test and play around with Prettier.
