Should create-next-app default to using ESLint?

[leerob]

Hey y'all. We're considering switching the default of create-next-app to not use ESLint.

One reason to remove would be: fewer configuration files, and less things to remove. Notably, you can still pick ESLint during the create-next-app setup – it just wouldn't be the default. Another related bit is that we'd like to also support Biome for next lint in the future.

One reason to keep ESLint as the default is that it gives you default checks around React development (e.g. hook usage), which could help beginners who are learning to build with React and Next.js.

[JClackett]

Biome has rules of hooks I believe? Or maybe just the dependency array checks

[MartinCura]

I think having a linter is a more sane default than not, especially in a React project. If Biome can do similar checks with hooks and such, then Eslint shouldn't necessarily be the first choice when choosing in the interactive CLI.

But if someone's running create-next-app non-interactively, including some linter is the sane default for me. => Voted "Yes".

[philwolstenholme]

For someone without a strong opinion on linters then they're better off with ESLint than with no linter at all. The ESLint ecosystem is also still larger so it seems a more sensible default.

Anyone who is opinionated enough to prefer Biome or prefer no linter at all is probably also experienced enough to remove ESLint and set up things the way they want them without this being too much of a big deal.

What's wrong with config files other than people (and CEOs…) moaning about them on Twitter? I would prefer them all to be hidden away in a .config directory but I think that'll come eventually.

[leerob]

It's not just that config files bloat your directory, but also that they add additional things that can break between version upgrades (versus zero-config where that is placed on the library or tool author). Zero-config is the dream.

I don't know if .config directory is the right solution, but rather than tools try to be zero config (thank you Tailwind!)

[philwolstenholme]

That's a really good point actually, I hadn't thought about how it must be a pain to redo the config files when dependencies make breaking changes. A config directory won't help with that at all, like you say.

[bitttttten]

I have definitely learned techniques, ways of thinking, and improved my JavaScript-grammar with linters. It also can just catch bugs for me, before even leaving my browser. I think for that reason it will help beginners more.

Once con is that more files in a repo is more overwhelming for beginners, although this is very subjective as some beginners may just ignore all the "extra files" and don't mind.

It's a tough call.

[leerob]

Classic 50/50 poll response so far 😂