I'm working on a project using Vite, and I want to understand the difference between using TypeScript alone and TypeScript with SWC. I've searched online but couldn't find a clear explanation. I believe it would be helpful to get answers from experienced developers, which is why I'm asking here. Could someone explain the differences and when it's better to use one over the other?
I'm working on a project using Vite, and I want to understand the difference between using TypeScript alone and TypeScript with SWC. I've searched online but couldn't find a clear explanation. I believe it would be helpful to get answers from experienced developers, which is why I'm asking here. Could someone explain the differences and when it's better to use one over the other?
Share Improve this question edited Jan 19 at 6:07 Penny Liu 17.4k5 gold badges86 silver badges108 bronze badges asked Oct 21, 2024 at 19:52 Janani BalasooriyaJanani Balasooriya 2691 gold badge2 silver badges8 bronze badges3 Answers
Reset to default 10The Vite projects using Typescript option use Babel, and using Typescript + SWC option use SWC.
SWC
Advantages:
- Performance: Faster than Babel, ideal for short build times.
- Written in Rust: Leverages efficiency and concurrency.
- Simplicity: Requires less initial configuration.
Disadvantages:
- Limited Ecosystem: Fewer plugins and preset availables, at moment.
- Compatibility: Some features may not be fully implemented yet.
- Less Maturity: Smaller munity (growing) and documentation pared to Babel.
Project Types:
- New projects prioritizing speed.
- Medium to large applications.
- Situations where simplicity is key.
Babel
Advantages:
- Robust Ecosystem: A fast array of plugins and presets.
- Customization: Detailed configuration for specific needs.
- Maturity and Support: Extensive documentation and active munity.
Disadvantages:
- Performance: Generally slower pared to SWC.
- Complex Configuration: Can be plicated for less experienced developers.
Project Types:
- Large and plex projects requiring custom transformations.
- Applucations relying on various libraries and tools.
- Situtations where patibility with the latest javascript features is critical.
A resume of differences between Babel and SWC according to my point of view and what I understood.
Sources:
- https://swc.rs/docs/getting-started
- https://github./vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc?tab=readme-ov-file
- https://github./vitejs/vite-plugin-react/tree/main/packages/plugin-react
The + SWC options use SWC for transpilation instead of Babel, which is generally faster than the non-SWC option, but might (in rare cases) have bugs. (For React, this really means whether to choose this or this Vite plugin.)
I would select a + SWC option.
SWC is a piler/transpiler and bundler for Javascript/Typescript, generally it's faster than other options like babel, tsc, esbuild. SWC website: SWC