Barrel Abuse

ID: barrel_file | Severity: Medium (default)

Barrel files (e.g., index.ts files that only re-export other files) can become problematic when they grow too large or include too many unrelated exports.

Why this is a smell

• Circular Dependencies: Large barrel files are a common cause of indirect circular dependencies.
• Unnecessary Coupling: Importing one thing from a large barrel file can cause the bundler to pull in many unrelated modules.
• Performance: Can slow down both development (IDE indexing) and production (bundle size/loading time).

Configuration

rules:
  barrel_file:
    severity: high
    max_reexports: 10

ESLint Rule

This detector is available as an ESLint rule for real-time feedback in your editor.

// eslint.config.js
export default [
  {
    rules: {
      '@archlinter/no-barrel-abuse': 'warn',
    },
  },
];

See ESLint Integration for setup instructions.

How to fix

• Avoid "catch-all" barrel files at the root of large directories.
• Prefer direct imports if a barrel file is causing issues.
• Group exports into smaller, more specific barrel files.