swc-project/swc · error

failed to read program file

Error message

failed to read program file

What it means

Fired in parse_file_sync: `c.cm.load_file(Path::new(path))` failed to read the source file from disk and the code calls `.expect(...)`, panicking with this message. The input at fault is the `path` argument — a nonexistent, unreadable, or otherwise unloadable file path. Because expect() is used, callers receive a panic rather than a structured napi error.

Source

Thrown at bindings/binding_core_node/src/parse.rs:237

            Ok((p, fm))
        })
    })
    .convert_err()?;

    Ok(serialize_program(program, &fm)?)
}

#[napi]
pub fn parse_file_sync(path: String, opts: Buffer) -> napi::Result<String> {
    crate::util::init_default_trace_subscriber();
    let c = get_fresh_compiler();
    let options: ParseOptions = get_deserialized(&opts)?;

    let (program, fm) = {
        try_with(c.cm.clone(), false, ErrorFormat::Normal, |handler| {
            let fm =
                c.cm.load_file(Path::new(path.as_str()))
                    .expect("failed to read program file");

            let local_comments = SwcComments::default();
            let comments = if options.comments {
                Some(&local_comments as &dyn Comments)
            } else {
                None
            };

            let mut p = c.parse_js(
                fm.clone(),
                handler,
                options.target,
                options.syntax,
                options.is_module,
                comments,
            )?;
            p.visit_mut_with(&mut resolver(
                Mark::new(),

View on GitHub (pinned to 5176682b65)

Solutions

1. Verify the path exists and the process has read permission before calling parseFileSync
2. Propagate load_file errors via convert_err/try_with so JS receives a proper error object

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at bindings/binding_core_node/src/parse.rs:237 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of swc-project/swc@5176682b65 (2026-08-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/38fa804ae2ffd519. Report an issue: GitHub.