Cython vs SWC
Cython
cython.orgSWC
swc.rsSide by side
| Figure | Cython | SWC |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Code Transpilers | 7.9 (#12) | 8.1 (#8) |
Plans
In their own words
Cython
Cython is a free compiler for Python and the extended Cython language, used to create C extensions for Python. It translates source code into C or C++ that can be built as Python extension modules. Optional static type declarations can help produce more efficient C, while declared C and C++ types let Python code call existing C or C++ code. Cython supports source-level debugging across Python, Cython and C, and the project describes uses including wrapping external libraries, embedding CPython in applications and speeding up Python code with C modules. It can work with multidimensional NumPy arrays and integrate with low-level libraries and applications. Installation is available through pip, and some scientific Python distributions bundle it. A C compiler is required, with installation guidance for Linux, macOS and Windows. The project describes compatibility with major C and C++ compilers for CPython 3.8 and later, and characterizes PyPy support as mostly usable. Limited API and free-threading CPython support in Cython 3.1 are experimental. Cython is available under the Apache 2.0 License.
SWC
SWC is a free, extensible Rust-based platform for tools that compile and bundle JavaScript and TypeScript. It transforms modern JavaScript and TypeScript into code intended for major browsers, and supports minification, WebAssembly transforms, and custom plugins. Its core API parses ECMAScript, TypeScript, and Flow syntax; the documentation describes that API as mainly useful to build-tool authors. Integrations include webpack, Rspack, and Jest, while Next.js, Parcel, and Deno are among the tools named as users. A WebAssembly module can transform code synchronously inside a browser. SWC can be installed as prebuilt binaries or built from source, with packages documented for npm, Yarn, pnpm, Bun, and Deno. The site states that it is 20x faster than Babel on one thread and 70x faster on four cores. The bundling documentation says that feature will be dropped in v2 and recommends SWC-based bundlers instead. It also warns that its polyfill usage mode is less efficient than Babel for certain dynamically computed property expressions.