Cross-browser compatibility has long been a challenge for developers, due to differing browser philosophies and the evolution of JavaScript frameworks, which often resulted in fragmented support across different browsers. Babel, a JavaScript transpiler, emerged as a solution to this issue by converting incompatible source code into browser-supported code through a process involving parsing, transforming, and generation. It utilizes an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) to identify and transform unsupported code while maintaining functionality. Although Babel significantly aids in achieving compatibility, additional tools like Webpack and plugins such as Source Map and Polyfill are often necessary for optimal performance. Babel's capability to address compatibility issues has made it a valuable tool in the JavaScript community, widely used in frameworks like React.