diff --git a/crates/oxc_formatter/examples/formatter.rs b/crates/oxc_formatter/examples/formatter.rs
index ade1b9472c4a0..f6dc0de2984e7 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_formatter/examples/formatter.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_formatter/examples/formatter.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use pico_args::Arguments;
 fn main() -> Result<(), String> {
     let mut args = Arguments::from_env();
     let no_semi = args.contains("--no-semi");
+    let show_ir = args.contains("--ir");
     let name = args.free_from_str().unwrap_or_else(|_| "test.js".to_string());
 
     // Read source file
@@ -57,9 +58,19 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), String> {
         semicolons,
         ..Default::default()
     };
-    let code = Formatter::new(&allocator, options).build(&ret.program);
 
-    println!("{code}");
+    let formatter = Formatter::new(&allocator, options);
+    if show_ir {
+        let doc = formatter.doc(&ret.program);
+        println!("[");
+        for el in doc.iter() {
+            println!("  {el:?},");
+        }
+        println!("]");
+    } else {
+        let code = formatter.build(&ret.program);
+        println!("{code}");
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/oxc_formatter/src/lib.rs b/crates/oxc_formatter/src/lib.rs
index 0c89180d8c7c2..dcaef4b2032e5 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_formatter/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_formatter/src/lib.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ use write::FormatWrite;
 pub use crate::options::*;
 pub use crate::service::source_type::get_supported_source_type;
 use crate::{
-    formatter::FormatContext,
+    formatter::{FormatContext, Formatted, format_element::document::Document},
     generated::ast_nodes::{AstNode, AstNodes},
 };
 
@@ -53,20 +53,31 @@ impl<'a> Formatter<'a> {
         Self { allocator, source_text: "", options }
     }
 
+    /// Formats the given AST `Program` and returns the IR before printing.
+    pub fn doc(mut self, program: &'a Program<'a>) -> Document<'a> {
+        let formatted = self.format(program);
+        formatted.into_document()
+    }
+
+    /// Formats the given AST `Program` and returns the formatted string.
     pub fn build(mut self, program: &Program<'a>) -> String {
+        let formatted = self.format(program);
+        formatted.print().unwrap().into_code()
+    }
+
+    fn format(mut self, program: &'a Program<'a>) -> Formatted<'a> {
         let parent = self.allocator.alloc(AstNodes::Dummy());
         let program_node = AstNode::new(program, parent, self.allocator);
 
         let source_text = program.source_text;
         self.source_text = source_text;
         let context = FormatContext::new(program, self.allocator, self.options);
-        let formatted = formatter::format(
+        formatter::format(
             program,
             context,
             formatter::Arguments::new(&[formatter::Argument::new(&program_node)]),
         )
-        .unwrap();
-        formatted.print().unwrap().into_code()
+        .unwrap()
     }
 }