Update SWC to the latest version

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 111 views

Introduction

SWC (Swift Compiler) is a modern JavaScript compiler that aims to provide a fast and efficient way to compile JavaScript code. However, like any other compiler, it is not immune to bugs and issues. In this article, we will explore a specific bug related to minification in SWC and discuss potential solutions to resolve the issue.

Describe the Bug

The bug in question is related to SWC's minification feature, which is designed to reduce the size of JavaScript code by removing unnecessary characters and compressing it. However, in certain situations, SWC fails to recognize changes in arrays, leading to incorrect minification results.

Input Code

The following code snippet demonstrates the issue:

var c = 'push'; // maybe any word

for (var a = 1, b = []; a < 5; a++) {
  b[c]({});
}

b[0][d] = 1;
b[e][f] = b[1][g];

This code creates an array b and uses a loop to push objects onto it using the push method. However, the code also attempts to access and modify the array using variables d, e, f, and g, which are not defined.

Config

The configuration used for SWC is as follows:

{
  "jsc": {
    "parser": {
      "syntax": "ecmascript",
      "jsx": true
    },
    "target": "es5",
    "loose": false,
    "minify": {
      "compress": {
        // no compression
      },
      "mangle": false
    },
    "externalHelpers": false
  },
  "module": {
    "type": "es6"
  },
  "minify": true,
  "isModule": true
}

This configuration enables minification and sets the target to ES5.

Playground Link

The issue can be reproduced using the following SWC playground link: https://play.swc.rs/?version=1.11.8&code=H4sIAAAAAAAAAxWLsQqDQBAF%2B%2F2K16koqEWqjV%2BybHF7p6ZJDCcaRPz3rNUwMLOHjIgBxXdbXwWjbfEOh40InwO%2FJSeiackod%2B%2BCd30Dc4iy6xMPR11XOAkwiVqeV8V0EZl0Kknvg11GlekWk15lVv4D3BuDjHcAAAA%3D&config=H4sIAAAAAAAAA1WPPQ7DMAiF957CYu7aDj1Blx4CuaRy5D8BkRJFuXsdx0nTDT7e48F8MQZ6sfAwcylLk5GF%2BOgLkSkqjoUA2YBi2WWF6z7tZR0pD1TJsg1AkT%2Bk1SS3pgafklBhHXqhxoKLrpvOeTaFzCRyYsa0YjlyA8aPP5b9ZdOoxBH9k3wmlpOmKiCk91Ct7WWdMm2X3uEn2u9aX6vEyWs31neXL%2B8BHY89AQAA

SWC Info Output

The SWC info output is empty, indicating that the issue is not related to a missing or incorrect configuration.

Expected Behavior

The expected behavior is that the minified code should be identical to the output produced by Terser, a popular JavaScript minifier.

Actual Behavior

However, the actual behavior is that SWC fails to recognize the changes in the array, leading to incorrect minification results.

Version

The version of SWC used to reproduce the issue is 1.11.8.

Additional Context

No additional context is provided.

Potential Solutions

To resolve this issue, we can try the following potential solutions:

Update SWC to the latest version: It is possible that the issue has been fixed in a later version of SWC. Updating to the latest version may resolve the issue.
Disable minification: Disabling minification may prevent the issue from occurring. However, this may not be a viable solution if minification is required.
Use a different minifier: If the issue is specific to SWC, using a different minifier such as Terser may resolve the issue.
Modify the code: Modifying the code to avoid using variables that are not defined may resolve the issue.
Report the issue to the SWC team: If none of the above solutions work, reporting the issue to the SWC team may help to identify the root cause and provide a fix.

Q: What is the SWC minify bug?

A: The SWC minify bug is a issue in the SWC (Swift Compiler) that prevents it from properly minifying JavaScript code in certain situations. Specifically, it fails to recognize changes in arrays, leading to incorrect minification results.

Q: What is the expected behavior of SWC in this situation?

A: The expected behavior of SWC is to properly minify the JavaScript code, including recognizing changes in arrays and producing the correct output.

Q: What is the actual behavior of SWC in this situation?

A: The actual behavior of SWC is to fail to recognize changes in arrays, leading to incorrect minification results.

Q: What are the potential solutions to this issue?

A: There are several potential solutions to this issue, including:

Update SWC to the latest version: It is possible that the issue has been fixed in a later version of SWC. Updating to the latest version may resolve the issue.
Disable minification: Disabling minification may prevent the issue from occurring. However, this may not be a viable solution if minification is required.
Use a different minifier: If the issue is specific to SWC, using a different minifier such as Terser may resolve the issue.
Modify the code: Modifying the code to avoid using variables that are not defined may resolve the issue.
Report the issue to the SWC team: If none of the above solutions work, reporting the issue to the SWC team may help to identify the root cause and provide a fix.

Q: What is the version of SWC used to reproduce the issue?

A: The version of SWC used to reproduce the issue is 1.11.8.

Q: Is there any additional context that may be relevant to this issue?

A: No additional context is provided.

Q: How can I reproduce the issue?

A: The issue can be reproduced using the following SWC playground link: https://play.swc.rs/?version=1.11.8&code=H4sIAAAAAAAAAxWLsQqDQBAF%2B%2F2K16koqEWqjV%2BybHF7p6ZJDCcaRPz3rNUwMLOHjIgBxXdbXwWjbfEOh40InwO%2FJSeiackod%2B%2BCd30Dc4iy6xMPR11XOAkwiVqeV8V0EZl0Kknvg11GlekWk15lVv4D3BuDjHcAAAA%3D&config=H4sIAAAAAAAAA1WPPQ7DMAiF957CYu7aDj1Blx4CuaRy5D8BkRJFuXsdx0nTDT7e48F8MQZ6sfAwcylLk5GF%2BOgLkSkqjoUA2YBi2WWF6z7tZR0pD1TJsg1AkT%2Bk1SS3pgafklBhHXqhxoKLrpvOeTaFzCRyYsa0YjlyA8aPP5b9ZdOoxBH9k3wmlpOmKiCk91Ct7WWdMm2X3uEn2u9aX6vEyWs31neXL%2B8BHY89AQAA

Q: What is the expected output of the minified code?

A: The expected output of the minified code is identical to the output produced by Terser, a popular JavaScript minifier.

Q: What is the actual output of the minified code?

A: The actual output of the minified code is incorrect due to the failure of SWC to recognize changes in arrays.