ESLint 10: An Uninteresting Major Update
ESLint 10 removes legacy configuration and outdated APIs, a useful architectural cleanup without a noticeable speed boost.
ESLint has become too complicated, slow, and heavy. Since version 9, the team has been steadily working to simplify configuration and reduce cognitive load. In version 10, they finally cut off all the old stuff and start with a “clean” (updated) slate.
What actually changed:
- ❌ Legacy configuration (.eslintrc*) is completely gone, leaving only flat config
- ❌ Support for older Node.js versions has been dropped
- 🧠 Fixes and simplifications to JSX and scope analysis
- 🛠 API improvements for rule authors
- 🧹 Removal of a pile of outdated and transitional APIs accumulated over the years
The authors didn’t say anything specific about speed. Don’t expect an out-of-the-box performance boost: ESLint 10 hasn’t become noticeably faster. But something else matters here: the new architecture and the move away from legacy code really do create opportunities to improve performance in future versions.
The bottom line: this release is about clearing away the clutter rather than adding features. Useful, but boring.