plugin-react-swc, React Compiler Vite 8 Support

[tyteen4a03]

I have a project using plugin-react-swc. What's the official way of retaining React Compiler support and support Vite 8?

My understanding is that Rolldown doesn't have React Compiler support and will thus pull in Babel, which I would like to avoid.

[ianujvarshney]

@tyteen4a03
There is currently no official way to use @vitejs/plugin-react-swc with React Compiler while avoiding Babel. React Compiler is Babel-based by design, and the React team has confirmed they will continue using JavaScript (not Rust) for the compiler, with only lightweight native wrappers for OXC/SWC being explored in the future. To use React Compiler with Vite 8, you must use @vitejs/plugin-react (the Babel-based plugin), not plugin-react-swc.

#428

[KTrain5169]

plugin-react uses oxc now so that's also a no-luck, there are instructions somewhere on how to re-enable React Compiler on VoidZero's YouTube channel though, think it was a short?

[ianujvarshney]

The official way to use React Compiler with Vite 8 and OXC is to install oxc-plugin-react-compiler , a Rust port of babel-plugin-react-compiler that works natively with OXC (no Babel needed). This is likely what the VoidZero YouTube short covers.

[ArnaudBarre]

@KTrain5169 the setup for React Compiler with Vite 8 + react-plugin 6 is here.

oxc-plugin-react-compiler is not official at all, it's a one person project (which is not part of Vite or OXC team) and done with AI. I just discovered it. There is a PR for an official Rust port from the React team.

@tyteen4a03 to answer your question, there is no recommended way currently to use the React compiler without Babel.
In any case, what we recommand is move to the react-plugin anyway. When a rust port will be available, it will be better supported with oxc where we (the Vite team) have the controlled on the whole toolchain. If you have anything that you need from SWC and that you don't have on OXC, I'm curious to here about, maybe this can be fixed.

[ianujvarshney]

@ArnaudBarre,

Thanks for the clarification. I understand now:

• No recommended way to use React Compiler without Babel yet
• oxc-plugin-react-compiler is unofficial (AI-generated, one-person project)
• Official setup is via @vitejs/plugin-react with Babel

I'll migrate to @vitejs/plugin-react as recommended and wait for the official Rust port ([PR #36173](react/react#36173)). If I find any SWC features missing in OXC, I'll report them.

Appreciate the guidance!