StandardJS — JavaScript Style Guide with Built-In Linter and Auto-Fixer

Introduction

StandardJS is a JavaScript style guide, linter, and formatter rolled into one tool with zero configuration required. It enforces a consistent coding style across projects by combining a curated set of ESLint rules into a single opinionated package, eliminating debates about code formatting.

What StandardJS Does

• Lints JavaScript and TypeScript files against a fixed rule set with no .eslintrc needed
• Auto-fixes formatting issues in place with the --fix flag
• Integrates with editors like VS Code, Vim, and Sublime for real-time feedback
• Supports JSX and Flow syntax out of the box
• Provides a sharable ESLint config (eslint-config-standard) for custom setups

Architecture Overview

StandardJS is built on top of ESLint and bundles a carefully curated set of rules from eslint-config-standard. When you run standard, it invokes ESLint internally with a locked configuration, so there are no config files to manage. The --fix flag delegates to ESLint's auto-fix engine to rewrite code in place.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install via npm: npm install standard --save-dev
• Add a lint script to package.json: "scripts": {"lint": "standard"}
• Use standard --fix in CI pipelines for automatic formatting
• Ignore specific files with a standard.ignore field in package.json
• Override globals with standard.globals in package.json when needed

Key Features

• Zero configuration required to get started
• Catches common bugs like unused variables and accidental globals
• Automatic code formatting with --fix
• Supports modern ES2024+ syntax, JSX, and TypeScript via plugins
• Used by companies including npm, GitHub, and Brave

Comparison with Similar Tools

• ESLint — More flexible but requires configuration; StandardJS wraps ESLint with fixed rules
• Prettier — Focuses only on formatting, not linting; StandardJS does both
• Biome — Rust-based all-in-one tool; StandardJS is JS-native and ESLint-compatible
• XO — Similar opinionated linter by Sindre Sorhus; StandardJS has a larger community

FAQ

Q: Can I override specific rules? A: StandardJS is intentionally opinionated and does not support per-rule overrides. If you need customization, use eslint-config-standard directly with ESLint.

Q: Does StandardJS work with TypeScript? A: Yes. Use ts-standard or configure eslint-config-standard-with-typescript for full TypeScript support.

Q: Does it support semicolons? A: StandardJS enforces no-semicolon style by default. If you prefer semicolons, use semistandard instead.

Q: How does it compare in performance to ESLint? A: Performance is equivalent since StandardJS runs ESLint under the hood. The difference is in configuration: StandardJS needs none.

Sources

• GitHub Repository
• Official Documentation