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TypeScript Academy · Lesson

Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics

Overview of common bundlers (Vite, esbuild, SWC, Rollup) and how they interact with TypeScript projects.

Lesson 2 of 38 steps

Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics is a free TypeScript Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 2 of 3. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the TypeScript Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The TypeScript Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.

Intro

Goal: Explore popular bundlers—Vite, esbuild, SWC, and Rollup. Each offers unique speed and flexibility.

Vite

Vite: Instant dev server using ESM, fast HMR, production builds powered by Rollup.

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "vite",
    "build": "vite build"
  }
}

esbuild

esbuild: Extremely fast bundler in Go. Great for prototyping and JS/TS projects.

// Command
npx esbuild src/index.ts --bundle --outfile=out.js

SWC

SWC: Rust-based compiler for TS/JS. Often used in Next.js for speed.

// swc config (.swcrc)
{
  "jsc": {
    "parser": { "syntax": "typescript" },
    "target": "es2020"
  }
}

Rollup

Rollup: Flexible bundler, strong tree-shaking. Vite uses Rollup internally for builds.

// rollup.config.js
import typescript from "@rollup/plugin-typescript";

export default {
  input: "src/index.ts",
  output: { file: "bundle.js", format: "cjs" },
  plugins: [typescript()]
};

Choosing bundler

Choosing: Vite for dev DX, esbuild for speed, SWC for Rust-based compilation, Rollup for control. All integrate with TS easily.

Question

Quick check: Which bundler uses native ES modules for fast dev server?

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

Recap: Vite is ESM-fast, esbuild is Go-speed, SWC is Rust-fast, Rollup is flexible. Use depending on project needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the TypeScript Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The TypeScript Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics”?

Overview of common bundlers (Vite, esbuild, SWC, Rollup) and how they interact with TypeScript projects. You practise TypeScript Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start TypeScript Academy?

No prior experience is required. TypeScript Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 2 of 3.

How long does the “Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this TypeScript Academy lesson?

Yes. Every TypeScript Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. tsc emit vs noEmit + bundlers
  2. Vite / esbuild / SWC / Rollup basics
  3. Declarations, source maps, types exports
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