vue-jest

vue-jest was the go-to Jest transformer for Vue single-file components, but it has been effectively abandoned since 2020. The configuration is straightforward with the transform property in jest.config.js, but you'll quickly encounter issues with Vue 3 compatibility and modern tooling. Error messages when transformations fail are often cryptic, giving you stack traces that don't clearly indicate whether the issue is with your component, the transformer configuration, or version mismatches.

The documentation is sparse and hasn't kept pace with the Vue ecosystem evolution. There's minimal guidance on handling composition API, script setup syntax, or TypeScript in SFCs. You'll find yourself debugging transformation issues without clear direction. The lack of maintenance means compatibility problems with newer Jest versions, Babel configurations, and Vue features simply won't be addressed.

For any new project, you should use @vue/test-utils with Vitest or the official @vue/vue3-jest (for Jest). The migration path from vue-jest isn't documented, leaving you to figure out configuration changes on your own. The only reason to keep vue-jest is if you're maintaining a legacy Vue 2 project and can't justify the migration effort.

vue-jest was the go-to Jest transformer for Vue 2 SFCs, but it's been effectively abandoned since 2020. The package hasn't received updates in over three years despite significant ecosystem changes. When working with Vue 3 projects, you'll quickly discover this package simply doesn't work correctly with the Composition API, script setup syntax, or newer SFC features.

The documentation is sparse and outdated, offering minimal guidance on configuration edge cases. Error messages when transformations fail are cryptic - you'll often see raw compiler errors without context about what went wrong in your test setup. TypeScript support exists but feels bolted on, with type definitions that don't cover common configuration scenarios. The migration path to @vue/vue3-jest isn't documented anywhere official, leaving developers to piece together solutions from GitHub issues.

For Vue 2 projects locked in maintenance mode, it still functions adequately for basic component testing. However, the lack of maintenance means you're on your own when encountering issues with newer Node versions or Jest updates.

vue-jest hasn't seen updates since 2020, which is a red flag for any build-time dependency. In practice, this means you're stuck dealing with outdated babel/compiler dependencies that may contain known vulnerabilities. The package doesn't follow modern secure-by-default principles - it executes arbitrary code during transformation with minimal sandboxing, and error messages can leak file system paths and internal configuration details.

The biggest pain point is dependency drift. As Vue, Jest, and their ecosystems evolve, you'll encounter breaking changes that won't be addressed. I've hit scenarios where TypeScript definitions are missing or incorrect, and crypto-related dependencies in the chain have CVEs that never get patched. The transform itself doesn't validate input thoroughly - malformed SFCs can cause crashes that expose stack traces with sensitive build paths.

For new projects, @vue/vue3-jest or Vitest are better choices with active maintenance and security updates. If you're stuck with vue-jest, pin all transitive dependencies and monitor them closely.