How do I install the Prettier Compare skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mahabdalla/prettier-compare in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Prettier Compare safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Prettier Compare?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Prettier Compare free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Prettier Compare?

mahabdalla (@mahabdalla) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Prettier Compare by mahabdalla — Agent Skill

Name: Prettier Compare
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: mahabdalla

Prettier Compare

Compares code formatting and formatting IR between Biome and Prettier to ensure that Biome's formatting is consistent and correct. Use when validating formatter changes, debugging formatting differences, or comparing output for JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, or other languages.

mahabdalla Updated Sep 22, 2026

File contents

Purpose

Use packages/prettier-compare/ to inspect any differences between Biome and Prettier formatting (including IR output) before shipping formatter changes.

Prerequisites

Run every command from the repository root so relative paths resolve correctly.
Use bun (the CLI is a Bun script) and ensure dependencies have been installed.
Always pass --rebuild so the Biome WASM bundle matches your current Rust changes.

Common workflows

Snippets passed as CLI args:

bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild 'const x={a:1,b:2}'

Force a language (useful when the tool cannot infer it from a filename):

bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -l ts 'const x: number = 1'

Compare files on disk:

bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -f src/example.tsx

Read from stdin (great for piping editor selections):

echo 'const x = 1' | bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -l js

Tips

Use -l/--language when formatting code without an extension so both formatters pick the correct parser.
Use -f/--file for large samples or snapshot tests so you can iterate directly on project fixtures.
Reference packages/prettier-compare/README.md for deeper CLI details; mirror any updates here, keeping the hard requirement that commands include --rebuild.
Use single quotes for code snippets passed as CLI arguments to avoid shell interpretation issues.
"\n" does not get escaped into a newline when passed as a CLI argument. You should write a literal newline or use a file instead.

Converted and distributed by TomeVault | Claim this content

---name: prettier-comparedescription: Compares code formatting and formatting IR between Biome and Prettier to ensure that Biome's formatting is consistent and correct. Use when validating formatter changes, debugging formatting differences, or comparing output for JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, or other languages.---## PurposeUse `packages/prettier-compare/` to inspect any differences between Biome and Prettier formatting (including IR output) before shipping formatter changes.## Prerequisites1. Run every command from the repository root so relative paths resolve correctly.2. Use `bun` (the CLI is a Bun script) and ensure dependencies have been installed.3. Always pass `--rebuild` so the Biome WASM bundle matches your current Rust changes.## Common workflowsSnippets passed as CLI args:```bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild 'const x={a:1,b:2}'```Force a language (useful when the tool cannot infer it from a filename):```bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -l ts 'const x: number = 1'```Compare files on disk:```bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -f src/example.tsx```Read from stdin (great for piping editor selections):```echo 'const x = 1' | bun packages/prettier-compare/bin/prettier-compare.js --rebuild -l js```## Tips- Use `-l/--language` when formatting code without an extension so both formatters pick the correct parser.- Use `-f/--file` for large samples or snapshot tests so you can iterate directly on project fixtures.- Reference `packages/prettier-compare/README.md` for deeper CLI details; mirror any updates here, keeping the hard requirement that commands include `--rebuild`.- Use single quotes for code snippets passed as CLI arguments to avoid shell interpretation issues.- "\n" does not get escaped into a newline when passed as a CLI argument. You should write a literal newline or use a file instead.---> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io) | [Claim this content](https://tomevault.io/claim/biomejs/biome)

Frequently asked questions