ReScript vs Transcrypt
ReScript
rescript-lang.orgTranscrypt
transcrypt.orgSide by side
| Figure | ReScript | Transcrypt |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Code Transpilers | 7.2 (#24) | 8.0 (#9) |
| Compatibility limit | The installation guide notes that Yarn versions above 1 require nodeLinker set to node-modules. | The documentation says Python exec and eval are unsupported because Transcrypt precompiles code; JavaScript eval is supported. |
| Node.js | ReScript-compiled JavaScript can run in Node.js, and installation requires Node.js version 22 or later. | Transcrypt can compile Python to JavaScript for use on both the client and server with Node.js, subject to facilities available on each platform. |
| Open source | The ReScript Association describes ReScript as an open source platform supported by industrial users. | Transcrypt is licensed under the Apache 2.0 open source license. |
| Purpose | ReScript is a strongly typed language that compiles to clean, efficient JavaScript. | Transcrypt compiles Python source code into JavaScript for browser applications. |
| What it does | ReScript is a strongly typed language that compiles to clean, efficient JavaScript. | Transcrypt compiles a fairly extensive subset of Python into compact, readable JavaScript. |
Plans
In their own words
ReScript
ReScript has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Transcrypt
Transcrypt compiles Python source code into JavaScript for browser applications. It converts a substantial subset of Python into JavaScript 6, with optional minification, and supports features including multiple inheritance, async/await, comprehensions, and modules. Developers can call JavaScript functions from Python and use browser DOM functions and JavaScript libraries. The distribution includes optional static type validation and consistency checks, plus multilevel source maps for tracing generated JavaScript back to the original Python. Transcrypt can also compile Python server code for Node.js and use Node libraries with require(). The project recommends installing it as a Python package with pip and documents testing on Windows, Linux, and OSX. Its focus is browser development and JavaScript libraries rather than desktop Python libraries. Because code is precompiled, Python exec and eval are unsupported, although JavaScript eval is supported. C and C++ libraries are not directly supported for browser use without special measures such as compiling them to asm.js. Transcrypt is free and open source under Apache 2.0.