Manual Formatting vs Prettier

Developers should use manual formatting when working in environments where automated formatting tools are unavailable, restricted, or when fine-grained control over code presentation is necessary, such as in legacy systems or specific project requirements meets developers should use prettier to eliminate debates over code style, save time on manual formatting, and maintain a clean, readable codebase, especially in team environments. Here's our take.

Manual Formatting

Nice Pick

Developers should use manual formatting when working in environments where automated formatting tools are unavailable, restricted, or when fine-grained control over code presentation is necessary, such as in legacy systems or specific project requirements

Pros

• It is also useful for learning coding standards and developing good habits, as it forces awareness of style conventions
• Related to: code-style-guides, code-readability

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Prettier

Developers should use Prettier to eliminate debates over code style, save time on manual formatting, and maintain a clean, readable codebase, especially in team environments

Pros

• It's ideal for projects where consistency is critical, such as large-scale applications or open-source collaborations, and it pairs well with linters like ESLint for comprehensive code quality
• Related to: eslint, code-editors

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Manual Formatting is a methodology while Prettier is a tool. We picked Manual Formatting based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Manual Formatting wins

Based on overall popularity. Manual Formatting is more widely used, but Prettier excels in its own space.