Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier
Biome is 100x faster than ESLint and Prettier combined, requires near-zero configuration, and replaces both tools with one. Here is the honest tradeoff.
Biome is the right choice for new projects and teams tired of ESLint/Prettier configuration complexity. It is written in Rust, runs about 100x faster than the JavaScript equivalents, and requires a single JSON config file. The tradeoff is that ESLint's plugin ecosystem does not carry over, which matters for teams using plugins like eslint-plugin-tailwindcss or highly customized rule sets.
What Is Biome?
Biome is a toolchain for web development written in Rust. It provides a linter and formatter in a single binary. The formatter is Prettier-compatible: it produces the same output as Prettier for most code, so switching from Prettier to Biome should not change your codebase's formatting style.
Biome was originally called Rome. When the Rome project stalled, a fork called Biome continued development under a community organization. Biome has been actively maintained and is used in production by teams at large companies.
The speed advantage. Biome's Rust implementation is significantly faster than running ESLint and Prettier separately via Node.js. On a large TypeScript codebase (100,000+ lines), ESLint might take 30-60 seconds. Biome takes 1-2 seconds. In a tight feedback loop (run on file save, run in a pre-commit hook, run in CI), this speed difference is noticeable every day.
A single configuration file. ESLint and Prettier each have their own configuration file, and keeping them consistent (not conflicting) requires installing eslint-config-prettier to disable ESLint formatting rules. Biome collapses this into one biome.json.
How Does Biome Work?
Biome operates as a single binary that parses, lints, and formats your code. It uses a Rust-based parser that is both fast and memory-efficient. The linter applies rules from a built-in set, and the formatter rewrites the AST to match the configured style. Both steps run in parallel where possible.
Architecture
Parser: Converts source code into an AST (Abstract Syntax Tree) using a custom parser for JavaScript/TypeScript/JSX/TSX.
Linter: Walks the AST and applies lint rules. Rules are written in Rust and compiled into the binary.
Formatter: Reconstructs the source from the AST with formatting rules applied.
Organize Imports: A separate pass that sorts and removes unused imports.
Biome does not use a plugin system like ESLint. All rules are built-in. This is a deliberate design choice to maintain performance and stability.
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These commands do not guarantee 100% feature parity. Some ESLint rules have no Biome equivalent. The migration output tells you which rules were not migrated and you decide whether to keep ESLint for those rules or accept the coverage gap.
After migration, run biome check --write on your entire codebase. Review the diff carefully: Biome may reformat code that ESLint/Prettier left alone, and some auto-fixes may be different.
Rule Coverage
Biome includes over 300 lint rules ported from ESLint core rules, typescript-eslint, eslint-plugin-react, eslint-plugin-react-hooks, and others. The recommended rule set enables the most commonly agreed-upon subset. Individual rules can be enabled, disabled, or configured to warn vs error.
The Plugin Gap: What You Lose
The most significant limitation of Biome is the lack of third-party plugin support. ESLint has thousands of plugins that extend its rule set. Important ones that do not have Biome equivalents:
eslint-plugin-tailwindcss sorts Tailwind utility classes in a consistent order and warns about invalid class names. If you use Tailwind (especially on a large team), this plugin is genuinely valuable. Biome has no equivalent. This is the single most common reason developers stay on ESLint.
eslint-import-resolvers and eslint-plugin-import provide rules about import ordering, unused imports, and import resolution. Biome's organizeImports sorts and removes unused imports, which covers most of the use cases.
eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y adds accessibility rules for JSX. Biome includes some a11y rules but not the full set from eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y.
Best Practices for Using Biome
Start with recommended rules. The recommended: true setting enables a curated set of rules that cover common issues. Avoid enabling all rules blindly.
Use biome check --write in pre-commit hooks. This runs linting and formatting in one command. Example with husky:
Configure lineWidth to match your team's preference. The default is 100, but many teams prefer 80 or 120.
Disable conflicting rules. If you keep ESLint for some plugins, disable the equivalent Biome rules to avoid double linting.
Use biome ci in CI. This runs linting and formatting checks without writing changes, failing the pipeline if issues are found.
Cost of Biome
Biome is completely free and open source. There is no paid tier, no enterprise license, and no usage limits. The only cost is the time to migrate and the potential loss of ESLint plugins.
Is Biome Worth It in 2026?
Yes, for most teams. The speed gain is tangible in daily development. The single configuration file reduces cognitive overhead. The lack of plugin support is a real tradeoff, but for teams that don't rely on niche plugins, Biome is a clear improvement.
For Tailwind users: The absence of Tailwind class sorting is a pain point. However, you can run Biome for linting/formatting and keep a lightweight ESLint config just for Tailwind rules. This hybrid approach works well in practice.
For large enterprises with strict compliance rules: If you need custom rules that are not in Biome's set, you may need to wait for plugin support or contribute your own rules. Biome's rule set is growing, but it will never match ESLint's plugin ecosystem.
When to Switch to Biome
New projects (clear win). Zero migration cost, better DX from day one, faster feedback loops.
Existing projects without heavy ESLint plugins. If your ESLint config uses only the recommended rule set and maybe typescript-eslint, migration is straightforward and the speed gain is immediate.
Existing projects with eslint-plugin-tailwindcss. Evaluate carefully. You can run Biome for linting and formatting and keep eslint-plugin-tailwindcss for class sorting only. This hybrid approach is common during the transition period until Biome adds Tailwind support.
Teams with highly customized ESLint configs. Migration cost is higher. Run the migration command, evaluate the coverage gaps, and decide if the speed gain justifies the lost rules.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier?
Biome is a unified toolchain for web development written in Rust. It combines a linter and formatter into a single binary, replacing the need for both ESLint and Prettier. It is designed to be faster (up to 100x) and simpler to configure, with a single JSON config file. Biome was originally a fork of the Rome project and is now actively maintained by a community organization.
How does Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier work?
Biome works by parsing source code into an AST using a Rust-based parser, then applying lint rules and formatting rules in a single pass. The linter checks for code quality and style issues, while the formatter rewrites the code to match the configured style. Both steps are highly optimized for speed. Biome also includes an organize imports feature that sorts and removes unused imports.
What are the best practices for Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier?
Best practices include: start with the recommended rule set, use `biome check --write` in pre-commit hooks, configure line width to match your team's preference, disable conflicting rules if you keep ESLint for some plugins, and use `biome ci` in CI pipelines to enforce linting and formatting without writing changes.
How much does Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier cost?
Biome is completely free and open source. There is no paid tier, enterprise license, or usage limits. The only cost is the time required to migrate from ESLint and Prettier, and the potential loss of ESLint plugin functionality.
Is Biome: The Rust-Based Linter and Formatter Replacing ESLint and Prettier worth it in 2026?
For most teams, yes. The speed improvement is significant in daily development, and the single configuration reduces complexity. However, teams that rely heavily on ESLint plugins like eslint-plugin-tailwindcss may need to evaluate the tradeoff. A hybrid approach (Biome for linting/formatting, ESLint only for specific plugins) is a common workaround.
