Transpiling is a process in computer programming where the source code written in one programming language is converted into equivalent source code in another programming language. This transformation typically occurs before the code is executed or interpreted.
The term "transpiling" is a combination of "transforming" and "compiling." It differs from traditional compiling in that the source code is not translated into machine code directly executable by the computer's hardware, but rather into a higher-level language that can be further processed or interpreted by another tool.
One common use case for transpiling is in web development, where developers write code in modern languages such as TypeScript or newer versions of JavaScript (like ES6 or ES7), which may not be fully supported by all browsers. Transpilers like Babel are used to convert this code into older versions of JavaScript that are compatible with a wider range of browsers.
Transpiling can also be used for various other purposes, such as converting code between different versions of a language, optimizing code for performance, or translating code from one programming paradigm to another.