diff --git a/js/.changeset/exitcode-alias.md b/js/.changeset/exitcode-alias.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c23bb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/.changeset/exitcode-alias.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'command-stream': minor
+---
+
+Add `exitCode` as an alias for the `code` property on all command result objects (issue #36). Code written against the `exitCode` convention (e.g. `child_process` / `execa`) now works without changes, while the existing `code` property remains fully supported.
diff --git a/js/README.md b/js/README.md
index a519fa3..05ab5fa 100644
--- a/js/README.md
+++ b/js/README.md
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ import { $ } from 'command-stream';
 const result = await $`ls -la`;
 console.log(result.stdout);
 console.log(result.code); // exit code
+console.log(result.exitCode); // alias for result.code
 ```
 
 ### Custom Options with $({ options }) Syntax (NEW!)
diff --git a/js/src/$.process-runner-base.mjs b/js/src/$.process-runner-base.mjs
index 80a2e19..6e69eec 100644
--- a/js/src/$.process-runner-base.mjs
+++ b/js/src/$.process-runner-base.mjs
@@ -410,6 +410,13 @@ class ProcessRunner extends StreamEmitter {
 
   // Centralized method to properly finish a process with correct event emission order
   finish(result) {
+    // Ensure `exitCode` is always available as an alias for `code` (issue #36).
+    // This is the single choke point every result passes through before it is
+    // stored and returned to the user, so normalizing here covers all paths.
+    if (result && result.exitCode === undefined && result.code !== undefined) {
+      result.exitCode = result.code;
+    }
+
     trace(
       'ProcessRunner',
       () =>
diff --git a/js/src/$.result.mjs b/js/src/$.result.mjs
index 9b87625..cc4525c 100644
--- a/js/src/$.result.mjs
+++ b/js/src/$.result.mjs
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 export function createResult({ code, stdout = '', stderr = '', stdin = '' }) {
   return {
     code,
+    // `exitCode` is an alias for `code` for better compatibility (issue #36)
+    exitCode: code,
     stdout,
     stderr,
     stdin,
diff --git a/js/tests/exitcode-alias.test.mjs b/js/tests/exitcode-alias.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbe226e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/tests/exitcode-alias.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { test, expect, describe, beforeEach } from 'bun:test';
+import './test-helper.mjs'; // Automatically sets up beforeEach/afterEach cleanup
+import { $, shell } from '../src/$.mjs';
+
+describe('exitCode alias for code', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    // Reset all shell settings before each test
+    shell.errexit(false);
+    shell.verbose(false);
+    shell.xtrace(false);
+    shell.pipefail(false);
+    shell.nounset(false);
+  });
+
+  test('should provide exitCode as alias for code property', async () => {
+    const result = await $`exit 0`;
+    expect(result.code).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.code).toBe(result.exitCode);
+  });
+
+  test('should have matching exitCode for non-zero exit codes', async () => {
+    const result = await $`exit 42`;
+    expect(result.code).toBe(42);
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(42);
+    expect(result.code).toBe(result.exitCode);
+  });
+
+  test('should have matching exitCode for successful commands', async () => {
+    const result = await $`echo "hello"`;
+    expect(result.code).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.code).toBe(result.exitCode);
+    expect(result.stdout.trim()).toBe('hello');
+  });
+
+  test('should maintain exitCode alias in pipeline operations', async () => {
+    const result = await $`echo "test" | grep "test"`;
+    expect(result.code).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.code).toBe(result.exitCode);
+  });
+
+  test('should maintain exitCode alias for failed commands', async () => {
+    const result = await $`exit 42`;
+    expect(result.code).toBe(42);
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(42);
+    expect(result.code).toBe(result.exitCode);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/rust/README.md b/rust/README.md
index 1c69aee..af774bd 100644
--- a/rust/README.md
+++ b/rust/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ async fn main() {
         .expect("echo should run");
 
     assert_eq!(result.stdout.trim(), "hello from rust");
+
+    // `exit_code()` is an alias for the `code` field, mirroring the
+    // JavaScript `exitCode` alias.
+    assert_eq!(result.exit_code(), result.code);
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/rust/changelog.d/20260610_000000_exitcode-alias.md b/rust/changelog.d/20260610_000000_exitcode-alias.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22b362a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/changelog.d/20260610_000000_exitcode-alias.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+bump: minor
+---
+
+### Added
+- `CommandResult::exit_code()` accessor as an alias for the `code` field, mirroring the `exitCode` alias exposed by the JavaScript implementation (issue #36).
diff --git a/rust/src/utils.rs b/rust/src/utils.rs
index 163490c..359cbfa 100644
--- a/rust/src/utils.rs
+++ b/rust/src/utils.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ impl CommandResult {
     pub fn is_success(&self) -> bool {
         self.code == 0
     }
+
+    /// Exit code of the command.
+    ///
+    /// This is an alias for the [`code`](Self::code) field, mirroring the
+    /// `exitCode` alias exposed by the JavaScript implementation (issue #36).
+    pub fn exit_code(&self) -> i32 {
+        self.code
+    }
 }
 
 /// Utility functions for virtual commands
diff --git a/rust/tests/utils.rs b/rust/tests/utils.rs
index ed815ef..3058417 100644
--- a/rust/tests/utils.rs
+++ b/rust/tests/utils.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,18 @@ fn test_command_result_error_with_code() {
     assert_eq!(result.code, 127);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_command_result_exit_code_alias() {
+    // `exit_code()` is an alias for the `code` field (issue #36)
+    let success = CommandResult::success("hello");
+    assert_eq!(success.exit_code(), 0);
+    assert_eq!(success.exit_code(), success.code);
+
+    let failure = CommandResult::error_with_code("not found", 127);
+    assert_eq!(failure.exit_code(), 127);
+    assert_eq!(failure.exit_code(), failure.code);
+}
+
 // ============================================================================
 // VirtualUtils Tests
 // ============================================================================