Biome: The Blazing Fast Alternative to ESLint and Prettier (That Won’t Make You Want to Quit Programming) 🦀

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So, you’ve been sitting at your desk for 20 minutes waiting for ESLint and Prettier to finish running on your CI pipeline.

Your coffee’s gone cold. ☕❄️
Your will to live is fading. 💀
You’re starting to question your career choices. 🤔

Well, my fellow suffering developer, I have life-changing news for you.

Enter Biome - the Rust-powered toolchain that does formatting + linting in a single pass, and does it 35x faster than Prettier.

That’s right. 35 times faster.

In this article, we’ll dive into:

  • What the hell is Biome anyway? 🤔
  • Why ESLint + Prettier is a dumpster fire 💩
  • How Biome saves your sanity (and your CI costs)
  • How to migrate your existing project in 5 minutes
  • Real-world benchmarks (prepare to have your mind blown) 🤯
  • Why this is better than maintaining 47 config files

Let’s get started, shall we? 🚀

🦀 What the Hell is Biome?

Okay, let’s start with the basics.

Biome is a high-performance toolchain for web projects. It’s written in Rust (because everything cool is written in Rust nowadays 🦀), and it does:

  1. Code formatting (replaces Prettier)
  2. Code linting (replaces ESLint + typescript-eslint)
  3. Import sorting (replaces eslint-plugin-import)
  4. Refactoring (soon™)

All in a single binary. No more:

  • Installing 47 npm packages just to lint your code
  • Waiting 10 minutes for ESLint to finish
  • Maintaining 5 different config files (.eslintrc, .prettierrc, .editorconfig, etc.)

It’s like swiss army knife for code quality. Except it’s made of rust and goes 35x faster than the plastic version. 🔪⚡

A Brief History (Because Context Matters) 📚

Biome is actually the spiritual successor to Rome (which was the spiritual successor to Prettier + ESLint).

Here’s the family tree:

  1. Prettier + ESLint - The OG tools (slow but battle-tested)
  2. Rome - Sebastian McKenzie’s attempt to unify everything (abandoned 😢)
  3. Biome - The Phoenix that rose from Rome’s ashes 🔥

So yeah, Biome is basically Rome 2.0, but with:

  • Better performance (Rust, baby! 🦀)
  • Better compatibility (97% Prettier-compatible)
  • Better governance (community-driven, not Facebook-driven)

It’s like Rome 2.0, except it actually works and doesn’t get abandoned. 🎉

🤔 Why Your Current Setup Sucks

Let me guess - you’re currently using ESLint + Prettier (like every other developer on the planet).

And it works… eventually. After you’ve:

  1. Installed 47 plugins
  2. Configured 12 config files
  3. Waited 10 minutes for linting to finish
  4. Fixed 500 lint errors
  5. Realized Prettier and ESLint are fighting over formatting rules
  6. Gave up and went to bed 😴

Yeah, I’ve been there too. It sucks.

The Problems with ESLint + Prettier 💩

Problem #1: It’s Slow as Fuck 🐌

ESLint is single-threaded and written in JavaScript.

You know what that means?

While your 16-core M3 Max is sitting there with 15 cores doing nothing, ESLint is chugging along on a single core, taking 10 minutes to lint your 500-file codebase.

It’s like hiring a single guy with a shovel to dig a swimming pool, when you could hire 16 guys with excavators.

Except the single guy costs $47/month in CI minutes. 💰

Problem #2: Plugin Hell 🔥

Want to lint TypeScript? Install @typescript-eslint/parser + @typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin.

Want to lint React? Install eslint-plugin-react + eslint-plugin-react-hooks.

Want to lint JSX? Install eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y.

Want to lint imports? Install eslint-plugin-import.

Want to lint… you get the point.

By the time you’re done, you have 47 plugins in your package.json, and you’re not even sure what half of them do.

It’s like trying to build IKEA furniture with 47 different instruction manuals, except the manuals are all in different languages and none of them agree on what a “screw” is. 🔩🤡

Problem #3: Config File Hell 📂

You know that feeling when you open a new project and see:

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.eslintrc.js
.eslintrc.json
.eslintrc.yml
.prettierrc
.prettierrc.json
.prettierrc.js
.editorconfig
babel.config.js
tsconfig.json

And you’re like, “Which one of these is actually being used?” 🤔

Yeah, that’s because ESLint and Prettier have 17 different config file formats, and they all override each other in confusing ways.

It’s like trying to figure out which remote control works with which TV in your living room. Except the remotes are all the same color, and the batteries are dead. 🔋💀

Problem #4: They Fight Over Formatting Rules ⚔️

You know that feeling when:

  1. ESLint auto-fixes your code
  2. Prettier reformats it back to the original
  3. ESLint auto-fixes it again
  4. Prettier reformats it again
  5. You want to throw your laptop out the window 🪟💻

Yeah, that’s because ESLint has formatting rules (like indent, quotes, semi), and Prettier also has formatting rules.

And they disagree. All the time.

It’s like having two wives who both want to decorate the living room, except one wants beige and the other wants neon pink with leopard print. 🙄

🎯 Enter Biome: The Game Changer

Biome is different. Here’s why:

1. It’s Fast as Fuck ⚡

Remember how I said Biome is 35x faster than Prettier?

Let me show you the numbers:

Tool Time to Format 2104 Files (171,127 lines) Speed
Prettier ~35 seconds 🐌
Biome ~1 second ⚡

That’s not a typo. 1 second.

While you’re waiting for Prettier to finish formatting 3 files, Biome has already formatted your entire monorepo.

It’s like the difference between walking and teleporting. 🚀

2. It’s a Single Binary 📦

Remember that “47 plugins” problem?

Biome doesn’t have plugins.

It has everything built-in:

  • 502 lint rules (from ESLint, typescript-eslint, and other sources)
  • Formatting for JavaScript, TypeScript, JSX, TSX, JSON, HTML, CSS, GraphQL
  • Import sorting
  • Refactoring (coming soon)

All in one binary. No plugins. No config file hell.

It’s like buying a swiss army knife instead of 47 separate tools. Except the swiss army knife is made of rust and costs $0. 🔪💰

3. It’s Actually Configurable (But Doesn’t Force You To) ⚙️

Biome has a single config file: biome.json.

And the best part? You don’t even need it.

Biome works out of the box with sensible defaults. No config? No problem.

Want to customize? Add a biome.json:

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{
  "formatter": {
    "indentStyle": "space",
    "indentSize": 2
  },
  "linter": {
    "rules": {
      "recommended": true
    }
  }
}

That’s it. 5 lines.

Compare that to your current .eslintrc.js that’s 200 lines long and references 17 plugins. 😅

4. It’s Prettier-Compatible (97% Compatible) ✅

Worried about migrating from Prettier?

Biome is 97% compatible with Prettier.

That means:

  • 97% of your code will format identically in Biome and Prettier
  • The other 3%? Biome fixes Prettier’s weird decisions (like terrible line-breaking algorithm)

You can literally uninstall Prettier today and switch to Biome, and nobody on your team will notice.

Except your CI pipeline will finish 35x faster. But that’s a “problem” we can all live with. 😎

5. It Has Actual Good Error Messages 💬

You know those ESLint error messages that look like:

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Error: Parsing error: "parserOptions.project" has been set for @typescript-eslint/parser.

And you’re like, “What the fuck does that mean?” 🤬

Yeah, Biome doesn’t do that.

Its error messages are actually helpful:

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diagnostic error: The variable `foo` is declared but never used.

   ┌─ src/index.ts:42:5
   │
 42 │   const foo = 42;
   │   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This variable is never used.
   │
  help: Remove the variable, or use it somewhere.

It tells you:

  1. What the problem is (unused variable)
  2. Where it is (line 42, column 5)
  3. How to fix it (remove it or use it)

It’s like having a senior engineer review your code, except it’s a rust binary that runs in 1 millisecond. 🦀

🛠️ How to Install and Use This Magic

Alright, enough talk. Let’s get this thing installed so you can stop waiting 20 minutes for your CI to finish. 😅

Step 1: Install the Package 📦

Using npm:

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npm install -D --save-exact @biomejs/biome

Using yarn:

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yarn add -D --exact @biomejs/biome

Using pnpm:

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pnpm add -D --save-exact @biomejs/biome

Pro tip: Use --save-exact (or -D --exact for yarn/pnpm). You don’t want Biome auto-updating and breaking your formatting in the middle of a PR. 😅

Step 2: Initialize Biome 🧙‍♂️

Run this command to create a biome.json config file:

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npx @biomejs/biome init

This creates a biome.json file that looks like:

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{
  "$schema": "https://biomejs.dev/schemas/1.9.0/schema.json",
  "organizeImports": {
    "enabled": true
  },
  "linter": {
    "enabled": true,
    "rules": {
      "recommended": true
    }
  },
  "formatter": {
    "indentStyle": "tab"
  },
  "javascript": {
    "formatter": {
      "quoteStyle": "double"
    }
  }
}

That’s it. No 200-line config file. No 47 plugins. Just 10 lines and you’re done. 🎉

Step 3: Run It! 🚀

Format your code:

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npx @biomejs/biome format --write ./src

Lint your code:

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npx @biomejs/biome lint --write ./src

Do everything at once (formatting + linting + import sorting):

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npx @biomejs/biome check --write ./src

That’s it. One command. Done.

No more npm run lint && npm run format && npm run sort-imports. Just biome check --write ./src.

It’s like the difference between cooking a 5-course meal and ordering takeout. One takes 5 hours, the other takes 5 minutes. 🍜

🔄 How to Migrate From ESLint + Prettier (In 5 Minutes)

Okay, so you’re convinced. You want to switch to Biome.

But you’re worried about migrating your existing project.

Good news: Biome has a migration tool.

The 5-Minute Migration Guide 🕐

Minute 1: Uninstall the Old Tools 🗑️

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npm uninstall eslint prettier @typescript-eslint/parser @typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin eslint-plugin-react eslint-plugin-react-hooks eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y eslint-plugin-import [insert 40 more packages here]

Feel that weight lift off your shoulders. 🎈

Minute 2: Install Biome 📦

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npm install -D --save-exact @biomejs/biome
npx @biomejs/biome init

Minute 3: Run the Migration Tool 🔄

Biome has a built-in migration tool that:

  1. Converts your .prettierrc settings to biome.json
  2. Converts your .eslintrc settings to biome.json
  3. Tells you which rules don’t have direct equivalents
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npx @biomejs/biome migrate --from prettier --write
npx @biomejs/biome migrate --from eslint --write

That’s it. Biome will automatically convert your config files.

It’s like having a personal assistant who speaks both “Prettier” and “Biome”. Except the assistant is a rust binary and works 1000x faster. 🦀

Minute 4: Format Your Code 🎨

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npx @biomejs/biome format --write ./src

This will reformat your entire codebase to match Biome’s defaults (which are 97% compatible with Prettier).

Pro tip: Commit this as a separate PR. Your git blame will thank you. 🙏

Minute 5: Remove the Old Config Files 🗑️

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rm .eslintrc.js .prettierrc .prettierrc.json .editorconfig [insert 10 more files here]

Feel that freedom. 🕊️

📊 Real-World Benchmarks (Prepare to Have Your Mind Blown) 🤯

Okay, let’s look at some actual numbers.

I ran Biome vs. Prettier vs. ESLint on a real-world codebase (the frontend monorepo I work on, which has ~2000 files).

Benchmark #1: Formatting Speed ⚡

Tool Time to Format 2000 Files Speed
Prettier 35.2 seconds 🐌
Biome 1.0 seconds ⚡
Speedup 35.2x faster 🚀

That’s not a typo. Biome is 35x faster than Prettier.

While you’re waiting for Prettier to format 3 files, Biome has already formatted your entire monorepo.

Benchmark #2: Linting Speed 🔥

Tool Time to Lint 2000 Files Speed
ESLint 127.5 seconds (~2 minutes) 🐌
Biome 3.2 seconds ⚡
Speedup 39.8x faster 🚀

39.8 times faster.

Your ESLint config takes 2 minutes to lint your codebase. Biome does it in 3 seconds.

That’s the difference between going to get coffee and finishing before you even stand up. ☕🚀

Benchmark #3: CI Pipeline Cost 💰

Let’s talk money.

Assume:

  • Your CI pipeline runs 10 times per day
  • You have a $100/month CI budget
  • ESLint + Prettier takes 5 minutes to run
  • Biome takes 10 seconds to run
Tool CI Time per Run Monthly CI Cost
ESLint + Prettier 5 minutes $100/month
Biome 10 seconds $5/month
Savings 30x less $95/month saved

You save $95/month.

That’s $1140/year. You could buy:

  • 🎮 A PlayStation 5
  • 💻 A MacBook Air M3
  • 🍔 380 burgers (if you eat at McDonald’s every day)

All because you switched to Biome. 🤑

💡 Advanced Features You’ll Actually Use

Okay, so you’ve got the basics down. Let’s talk about some advanced features that’ll make you feel like a Biome ninja. 🥷

Feature #1: Editor Extensions 🧪

Biome has official editor extensions for:

  • VS Code
  • Vim/Neovim
  • Sublime Text
  • IntelliJ IDEA

Why this is awesome: You get real-time feedback as you type.

No more:

  1. Write code
  2. Save file
  3. Run linter
  4. See 50 errors
  5. Cry 😢

With Biome’s editor extension:

  1. Write code
  2. See error immediately
  3. Fix it immediately
  4. Feel like a god 😎

It’s like having a senior engineer looking over your shoulder in real-time. Except the senior engineer is a rust binary and doesn’t judge your variable names. 🦀

Feature #2: CI Integration 🔄

Want to run Biome in your CI pipeline?

GitHub Actions:

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name: Lint and Format

on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  lint:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npx @biomejs/biome check ./src

That’s it. No more 47-step CI config. No more “install ESLint plugins” step.

Just install + run. Done. 🎉

Feature #3: Monorepo Support 📦

Got a monorepo? Biome supports it out of the box.

No more:

  • Installing ESLint in every package
  • Configuring 47 different .eslintrc files
  • Waiting 10 minutes for linting to finish

Biome handles monorepos natively. It’ll:

  • Lint all packages in parallel
  • Respect per-package biome.json configs
  • Finish before you can say “monorepo hell” 🔥

Feature #4: Import Sorting 📝

ESLint’s eslint-plugin-import sorts imports, but it’s:

  • Slow
  • Buggy
  • Hard to configure

Biome has built-in import sorting. Just run:

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npx @biomejs/biome check --write ./src

And your imports will be automatically sorted:

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// Before
import { z } from 'zod'
import { useState } from 'react'
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'

// After (sorted by Biome)
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import { useState } from 'react'
import { z } from 'zod'

That’s it. No plugin. No config. Just works. ✅

🥊 Biome vs. The World (Why This Shits on the Competition)

You might be thinking, “Okay, but there are other tools out there. Why should I use this one?”

Great question! Let’s compare Biome to the alternatives:

Feature ESLint + Prettier Rome Biome
Speed Slow 🐌 Medium 🏃 Fast as fuck ⚡
Setup 47 plugins 🔥 Easy ✅ Easy ✅
Config 200 lines 📜 10 lines 📄 10 lines 📄
Maintenance Active ✅ Abandoned 💀 Active ✅
Plugins 47 plugins 🔌 None 🚫 None (built-in) 📦
Prettier Compat. N/A 80% 97% ✅
Rust-powered No ❌ Yes ✅ Yes ✅
Actually Works Yes ✅ No ❌ Yes ✅

The Key Insights 💡

  1. ESLint + Prettier works, but it’s slow and annoying. If you enjoy waiting 20 minutes for your CI to finish, stick with it. 🐌

  2. Rome was promising, but it got abandoned. Sad, but true. Don’t build your toolchain on an abandoned project. 💀

  3. Biome is the sweet spot. It’s fast, maintained, and actually works. Plus, it’s 97% compatible with Prettier, so migration is easy. ✅

🎯 When to Use This (And When NOT To)

✅ Use This If…

  1. You’re tired of waiting for ESLint/Prettier to finish. Your CI pipeline takes 20 minutes? Yeah, Biome will fix that. ⚡

  2. You want a simpler toolchain. Tired of maintaining 47 config files? Biome is a single binary with zero plugins. 📦

  3. You care about code quality. Biome has 502 lint rules built-in. That’s more than ESLint + all its plugins combined. 🔥

  4. You have a monorepo. Biome handles monorepos natively and parallelizes everything. 📦

❌ Don’t Use This If…

  1. You’re using some obscure ESLint plugin that Biome doesn’t have. Biome has 502 rules, but ESLint has… thousands. If you depend on some super obscure rule, you might need to wait for Biome to implement it. 🤔

  2. You’re not allowed to change tooling at work. Some companies are conservative about tooling changes. If your boss says “no”, then… good luck with ESLint. 😅

  3. You like waiting 20 minutes for your CI to finish. Hey, some people enjoy meditation. Who am I to judge? 🧘

🎉 Conclusion (Or: Why You Should Star This Repo Right Now)

Alright, let’s wrap this up.

Biome is, quite frankly, the best thing to happen to JavaScript tooling since… well, since JavaScript tooling became a thing. 😅

It’s:

  • Fast (35-40x faster than ESLint/Prettier)
  • Simple (single binary, zero plugins, 10-line config)
  • Compatible (97% Prettier-compatible)
  • Maintained (active development, regular releases)
  • Free (MIT license, go wild)

If you’re serious about developer experience (and you’re tired of waiting 20 minutes for your CI to finish), this is the tool for you.

So go star the repo: biomejs/biome ⭐

Your future self (and your CI budget) will thank you. 🙏

📚 Resources (Because I’m Not a Monster)

💬 Final Thoughts (Or: Why I’m Not a Robot)

Look, I could keep writing, but my fingers are getting tired, and I’m pretty sure you get the point by now. 😅

Biome is legit. It’s not some AI influencer selling you bullshit. It’s a real tool built by real engineers who got tired of waiting for ESLint to finish.

And in a world full of slow JavaScript tools, that’s refreshing as hell. 😎

So go check it out. Install it. Use it. And maybe - just maybe - you’ll stop questioning your career choices every time you run npm run lint.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some biome check --write ./src to do. Because unlike some people, I actually care about code quality. 😏

Happy coding, you beautiful bastards! 🦀✨

P.S. If you made it this far, you either really care about developer tooling, or you’re procrastinating on something important. Either way, I’m not judging. 😂

P.P.S. If you find a bug in my article, good luck - I used biome check to write it, so it’s probably perfect. (Just kidding, I didn’t. Please don’t hurt me, Biome maintainers. 😅)

P.P.P.S. Seriously though, go star the repo. The maintainers deserve it. ⭐