babel-plugin-syntax-object-rest-spread enables Babel to parse object rest and spread properties. It adds the syntax support without transforming the code, allowing Babel to understand and process this ES2018 feature. This plugin is crucial for projects using object destructuring with the rest operator (...rest) and object spreading ({ ...obj }), ensuring compatibility with Babel's parser before transformation plugins are applied. It essentially unlocks the use of these modern JavaScript features within your Babel pipeline.