eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort

Introduction to eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort

The eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort is a convenient and straightforward tool designed to assist developers in organizing their import statements in a cleaner, more efficient manner. This plugin seamlessly integrates into the ESLint environment, allowing users to take advantage of ESLint's --fix option to automatically sort imports without introducing any additional tooling. Let's delve deeper into its key features and understand how it can benefit your development process.

Key Features

• Easy Integration with ESLint: The plugin works harmoniously with ESLint, meaning there's no need to learn new tools. Users can simply run eslint --fix, and their import statements will be sorted automatically.
• Sorting and Handling Capabilities: It not only sorts imports but also sorts exports whenever possible. The tool also intelligently manages comments and type imports/exports, ensuring these elements stay intact during the sorting process.
• Friendly with Established Tools: The plugin is designed to be compatible with TypeScript using @typescript-eslint/parser, and it works well alongside popular formatting tools like Prettier and dprint. Moreover, it plays nicely with other ESLint plugins such as eslint-plugin-import.
• Maintains Code Coverage: The project guarantees 100% code coverage, ensuring reliability.
• No Additional Dependencies: It operates without the need for other dependencies, simplifying its implementation.
• Limitations: It currently does not support sorting require statements, focusing solely on import syntax for simplicity.

How It Works

The tool focuses on users who frequently utilize ESLint's autofix feature, enabling them to automate the sorting of import statements effortlessly. Here’s an example of how a codebase’s imports are sorted:

Before sorting:

import React from "react";
import Button from "../Button";
import styles from "./styles.css";
import type { User } from "../../types";
import { getUser } from "../../api";
import PropTypes from "prop-types";
import classnames from "classnames";
import { truncate, formatNumber } from "../../utils";

After sorting:

import classnames from "classnames";
import PropTypes from "prop-types";
import React from "react";

import { getUser } from "../../api";
import type { User } from "../../types";
import { formatNumber, truncate } from "../../utils";
import Button from "../Button";
import styles from "./styles.css";

Installation and Setup

To use eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort, you can install it via:

npm install --save-dev eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort

Configuration

Add "simple-import-sort" to the plugins array in your .eslintrc.* file, and set up the import/export sorting rules:

{
  "plugins": ["simple-import-sort"],
  "rules": {
    "simple-import-sort/imports": "error",
    "simple-import-sort/exports": "error"
  },
  "parserOptions": {
    "sourceType": "module",
    "ecmaVersion": "latest"
  }
}

For a more detailed configuration using ESLint’s flat config format, you can import and set up the plugin as such:

import simpleImportSort from "eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort";

export default [
  {
    plugins: {
      "simple-import-sort": simpleImportSort,
    },
    rules: {
      "simple-import-sort/imports": "error",
      "simple-import-sort/exports": "error",
    },
  },
];

Considerations and Best Practices

• Avoid Mixing Sorting Rules: The plugin advises against using other import sorting rules simultaneously, such as sort-imports and import/order.
• Grouping Imports: The plugin provides a basic grouping strategy but acknowledges that not all projects will fit into a single grouping scheme. Customization and comments help in specific cases.

Conclusion

eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort is a powerful yet uncomplicated tool that can improve code readability and maintainability by automatically organizing import statements. While it's not a one-size-fits-all solution due to its limited configuration options, it serves as a reliable choice for projects seeking simplicity and automation in import sorting. If you're a developer who enjoys maintaining tidy codebases with minimal effort, this plugin is certainly worth integrating into your workflow.