The 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 presets available, at moment.
- Compatibility: Some features may not be fully implemented yet.
- Less Maturity: Smaller community (growing) and documentation compared 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 community.
Disadvantages:
- Performance: Generally slower compared to SWC.
- Complex Configuration: Can be complicated for less experienced developers.
Project Types:
- Large and complex projects requiring custom transformations.
- Applications relying on various libraries and tools.
- Situations where compatibility 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.com/vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc?tab=readme-ov-file
- https://github.com/vitejs/vite-plugin-react/tree/main/packages/plugin-react
GitHub
github.com › vitejs › vite-plugin-react › issues › 428
React Compiler with plugin-swc · Issue #428 · vitejs/vite-plugin-react
May 16, 2024 - vitejs / vite-plugin-react Public · There was an error while loading. Please reload this page. Notifications · You must be signed in to change notification settings · Fork 237 · Star 1.1k · New issueCopy link · New issueCopy link · Open · Feature · Open · React Compiler with plugin-swc#428 ·
Published May 16, 2024
Author samesfahani-tuplehealth
Reddit
reddit.com › r/reactjs › how to use the react compiler in a vite react 18 project. (easy tutorial)
r/reactjs on Reddit: How to use the React Compiler in a Vite React 18 project. (easy tutorial)
December 6, 2024 -
1. npm install -D babel-plugin-react-compiler@beta eslint-plugin-react-compiler@beta
2. npm install react-compiler-runtime@beta
3. Edit your vite.config.js file like this:
import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react';
// https://vite.dev/config/
export default defineConfig({
plugins: [
react({
babel: {
plugins: [['babel-plugin-react-compiler', { target: '18' }]],
},
}),
],
});
4. Build your app and run it. (npm run build and then npm run preview).
Videos
05:04
Beginner’s Guide to Setting Up React with Vite (2025 Edition) ...
02:16
What Is SWC React? - Next LVL Programming - YouTube
08:29
React Vite Tutorial For Beginners - Integrate Build Tool In React ...
Creating React Application with Vite + Typescript - [For Beginners] ...
05:27
React Compiler / React Forget - with Vite - YouTube
02:01
What Is React-SWC? - Next LVL Programming - YouTube
Top answer 1 of 4
56
The 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 presets available, at moment.
- Compatibility: Some features may not be fully implemented yet.
- Less Maturity: Smaller community (growing) and documentation compared 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 community.
Disadvantages:
- Performance: Generally slower compared to SWC.
- Complex Configuration: Can be complicated for less experienced developers.
Project Types:
- Large and complex projects requiring custom transformations.
- Applications relying on various libraries and tools.
- Situations where compatibility 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.com/vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc?tab=readme-ov-file
- https://github.com/vitejs/vite-plugin-react/tree/main/packages/plugin-react
2 of 4
14
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.
DEV Community
dev.to › sudhil › speed-up-react-projects-with-vite-swc-4a59
⚡️Speed Up React Projects with Vite + SWC⚡️ - DEV Community
July 9, 2025 - npm create vite@latest my-react-app --template react cd my-react-app npm install npm run dev · Boom 💥 We’re up and running in seconds. SWC stands for Speedy Web Compiler, and the name is no joke.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/react › react compiler, swc, vite
r/react on Reddit: React Compiler, swc, vite
July 20, 2025 -
I have a pretty large codebase in a nx monorepo. Currently using vite with swc.
Wanted to switch the react compiler on, but it looks like I'd have to go back to Babel, and the lining is not even there yet (e.g. would be nice to get warnings when a dev is using a memo for no reason).
Am I missing something? Anyone here using the react compiler successfully?
And.. What is the deal with oxc? The ecosystem feels so fragmented..
Top answer 1 of 3
3
The React Compiler is a babel plugin, so you need to use babel for it. While it would be amazing to have the react compiler as Oxc plugin, or just plain rust, this isn’t reality, so builds will be slow. There is an open issue to upvote though
2 of 3
2
the docs says to use babel, so yes use babel for that. regarding the warnings, use eslint its also mentioned on the docs. if im not wrong, oxc is another solution that aims to make everything more cohesive by sharing the same AST
Medium
medium.com › @induwaradaham99 › setting-up-a-react-project-with-vite-and-swc-e50e274602bc
Setting Up a React Project with Vite and SWC | by Daham Dissanayake | Medium
July 11, 2024 - Next, you’ll be prompted to select a language setup. For this guide, we’ll choose “JavaScript + SWC.” SWC (Speedy Web Compiler) is a super-fast compiler that can help speed up your development process.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/reactjs › does vite recommend using typescript + swc for new projects?
r/reactjs on Reddit: Does Vite recommend using Typescript + SWC for new projects?
February 20, 2023 -
Does Vite recommend starting new projects with typescript + swc??
Is it completely stable?
Any thoughts are appreciated :)
Top answer 1 of 4
25
SWC is the transpiler next js uses under the hood. From my experience it has been stable and has not caused any issues regarding development. It is safe to start a new project with SWC. As for typescript, If you know typescript always prefer typescript over vanilla js.
2 of 4
12
Like any other software project, SWC has some issues. It may not transpile code perfectly. However, most of these issues are obscure enough not to have to worry about them. Eg. According to #6400 , this code might not work as expected (oh noo): [ ... function * ( ) { yield * { [ Symbol . iterator ] : async x => 0 } ; } ( ) ] ;
GitHub
github.com › vitejs › vite-plugin-react-swc
GitHub - vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc: Speed up your Vite dev server with SWC · GitHub
Speed up your Vite dev server with SWC. Contribute to vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc development by creating an account on GitHub.
Starred by 958 users
Forked by 76 users
Languages TypeScript 58.3% | JavaScript 28.3% | CSS 7.6% | HTML 5.6% | MDX 0.2%
React
react.dev › blog › 2025 › 10 › 07 › react-compiler-1
React Compiler v1.0 – React
React Compiler can be installed across several build tools such as Babel, Vite, and Rsbuild. In addition to those tools, we have been collaborating with Kang Dongyoon (@kdy1dev) from the swc team on adding additional support for React Compiler ...
Rootstack
rootstack.com › en › blog › speeding-your-apps-build-vite-and-swc
Speeding up your app's build with Vite and SWC | Rootstack
SWC compilation very often performs better than when using similar tools (such as Babel). Some Vite build plugins, such as @vitejs/plugin-react, may optionally be replaced with an SWC-based equivalent in order to achieve very quick compilation, and, by extension, a faster-loading development server.
DhiWise
dhiwise.com › post › maximize-performance-how-swc-enhances-vite-and-react
Why SWC is the Perfect Companion for Vite and React
November 6, 2023 - SWC, on the other hand, is a newer tool that offers significantly faster transformations, but it may not support all Babel plugins. In the context of Vite and React, using SWC can provide faster build and development times, making it a compelling ...
Vite
vite.dev › guide
Getting Started | Vite
See create-vite for more details on each supported template: vanilla, vanilla-ts, vue, vue-ts, react, react-ts, react-swc, react-swc-ts, preact, preact-ts, lit, lit-ts, svelte, svelte-ts, solid, solid-ts, qwik, qwik-ts.
React
react.dev › learn › react-compiler › introduction
Introduction – React
React Compiler can be installed across several build tools such as Babel, Vite, Metro, and Rsbuild. React Compiler is primarily a light Babel plugin wrapper around the core compiler, which was designed to be decoupled from Babel itself.
Oneclickitsolution
oneclickitsolution.com › home › web application
Enhance React Projects with Vite & SWC
December 12, 2024 - Vite and SWC (stands for Speedy Web Compiler) are two powerful tools that can be used together to enhance the development experience of React projects.
npm
npmjs.com › package › @vitejs › plugin-react-swc
@vitejs/plugin-react-swc - npm
3 weeks ago - The package provides @vitejs/plugin-react-swc/preamble to initialize HMR runtime from client entrypoint for SSR applications which don't use transformIndexHtml API.
» npm install @vitejs/plugin-react-swc
Published Mar 12, 2026
Version 4.3.0
Author Arnaud Barré
Repository https://github.com/vitejs/vite-plugin-react
GitHub
github.com › vitejs › vite-plugin-react-swc › issues › 205
React Compiler · Issue #205 · vitejs/vite-plugin-react-swc
May 15, 2024 - vitejs / vite-plugin-react-swc Public · Notifications · You must be signed in to change notification settings · Fork 68 · Star 948 · New issueCopy link · New issueCopy link · Open · Open · React Compiler#205 · Copy link · samesfahani-tuplehealth ·
Coding Architect Dev
codingarchitect.dev › home › coding & scripting › choosing the right react variant with vite
Choosing the Right React Variant with Vite - Coding Architect Dev
November 20, 2025 - Choosing the right React variant in Vite depends on your goals, experience level, and the complexity of the project you’re building. JavaScript templates are great for beginners, TypeScript templates are ideal for scalable applications, and options like SWC, RSC, or advanced routers cater to more complex or highly optimized projects. If you want a balanced, future-friendly setup, TypeScript + React Compiler is an excellent choice.
Medium
medium.com › @oneclickitconsultancy › speeding-up-react-projects-with-vite-and-swc-a0001d4eccd7
Speeding Up React Projects with Vite and SWC | by OneClick IT Consultancy | Medium
October 31, 2023 - Vite and SWC (stands for Speedy Web Compiler) are two powerful tools that can be used together to enhance the development experience of React projects.
Medium
medium.com › @onix_react › introducing-react-compiler-1-0-3a15141ac6ae
Introducing React Compiler 1.0. The React team is thrilled to announce… | by Onix React | Medium
October 16, 2025 - Vite and Next.js users can select compiler-enabled templates when using their respective project creation tools (npm create vite@latest and npx create-next-app@latest). The team continues to work with the community to expand native tooling support. Collaboration with the SWC team has delivered initial support for the React Compiler as an SWC plugin.
Vite
vite.dev › guide › features
Features | Vite
React using SWC support via @vitejs/plugin-react-swc · React Server Components (RSC) support via @vitejs/plugin-rsc · Check out the Plugins Guide for more information. .jsx and .tsx files are also supported out of the box. JSX transpilation is also handled via esbuild.