remove-code-comments

A lightweight tool to remove comments from JavaScript/TypeScript files while preserving strings, regex literals, and template literals. Works as both a CLI and a programmatic library.

Features

✨ Smart Comment Removal

• Removes // line comments and /* */ block comments
• Preserves comments inside strings, template literals, and regex patterns
• Handles edge cases like regex literals after return, throw, etc.

Install

npm install -g remove-code-comments

Or use via npx:

npx remove-code-comments --help

For programmatic usage:

npm install remove-code-comments

CLI Usage

Interactive Mode

remove-code-comments --dir src

This will scan the directory and let you select which files to process:

Found 4 files (2 with comments):

  ✓ 1. src/index.ts (272 chars)
  ○ 2. src/utils.ts
  ✓ 3. src/api.ts (145 chars)
  ○ 4. src/types.ts

Enter comma-separated indices to strip comments (or 'all'): 1,3

Automatic Mode

Process all files automatically:

remove-code-comments --dir src --all

Dry Run

Preview changes without modifying files:

remove-code-comments --dir src --all --dry-run

Ignore Patterns

Skip specific files or directories:

remove-code-comments --dir src --all --ignore "**/*.test.ts,**/vendor/**"

Options

• --dir, -d <folder>: Target directory (default: src)
• --all: Process all matching files automatically (no interactive prompt)
• --dry-run: Show what would change without writing files
• --ignore <pattern,...>: Comma-separated ignore patterns (supports * and **)

Programmatic API

Use remove-code-comments as a library in your Node.js projects:

const { stripComments } = require("remove-code-comments");

const code = `
  // This is a line comment
  const x = 5; /* block comment */
  const regex = /https?:\\/\\//; // URL regex
  const str = "// not a comment";
`;

const clean = stripComments(code);
console.log(clean);

Output:

  const x = 5;
  const regex = /https?:\\/\\//;
  const str = "// not a comment";

API Reference

stripComments(code: string): string

Removes all comments from the provided code string.

Parameters:

• code (string): JavaScript or TypeScript source code

Returns:

• (string): Code with comments removed

Example:

const { stripComments } = require("remove-code-comments");

const result = stripComments("const x = 5; // comment");
// result: 'const x = 5; '

Examples

Example 1: Basic Comments

Input:

// Single line comment
const greeting = "Hello"; /* inline block comment */

/*
 * Multi-line
 * block comment
 */
function sayHi() {
  return greeting; // return value
}

Output:

const greeting = "Hello";

function sayHi() {
  return greeting;
}

Example 2: Preserving Strings and Regex

Input:

const url = "https://example.com"; // URL string
const pattern = /\/\* not a comment \*\//; // regex literal
const msg = "Use // for comments"; /* explanation */

Output:

const url = "https://example.com";
const pattern = /\/\* not a comment \*\//;
const msg = "Use // for comments";

Example 3: Template Literals

Input:

const code = `
  // This looks like a comment
  /* but it's inside a template */
`;
const value = 42; // actual comment

Output:

const code = `
  // This looks like a comment
  /* but it's inside a template */
`;
const value = 42;

Example 4: Complex Regex Context

Input:

function test() {
  return /regex/gi; // regex after return
  throw /pattern/; // regex after throw
  const result = condition ? /yes/ : /no/; // ternary
  const arr = [/first/, /second/]; // array literal
}

Output:

function test() {
  return /regex/gi;
  throw /pattern/;
  const result = condition ? /yes/ : /no/;
  const arr = [/first/, /second/];
}

License

MIT