@babel/plugin-proposal-optional-chaining enables the use of the optional chaining operator ( ?. ) in your JavaScript code. This operator allows you to safely access properties on potentially null or undefined values without causing an error. By transforming this syntax during compilation, the plugin makes it compatible with older JavaScript environments that don't natively support optional chaining, ensuring broader browser and Node.js support for modern code. Using this plugin promotes cleaner, more readable code by avoiding verbose null checks.
The npm package @babel/plugin-proposal-optional-chaining had infrequent releases. It started with a few releases in 2018 and 2019, became more active in 2020 and 2021, with a peak of 5 releases in February 2021. After 2021 the releases slowed down significantly, with only one release per year in 2022 and 2023. There have been no releases in 2024 or 2025.
@babel/plugin-proposal-optional-chaining npm package downloads show significant growth in early 2024, peaking in March. Downloads stabilized around 55 million for several months, dipped in December, and remained relatively stable until a recent surge in June 2025. August 2025 downloads are incomplete.
