[1.0.0-rc.18] - 2026-04-29

💥 BREAKING CHANGES

• optimization: default unspecified inlineConst.mode to smart (fix(optimization)!: default unspecified inlineConst.mode to smart #9248) by @IWANABETHATGUY

🐛 Bug Fixes

• rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob: return error instead of panicking when virtual module uses a relative glob (fix(rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob): return error instead of panicking when virtual module uses a relative glob #9241) by @shulaoda
• binding: treat empty inlineConst object as omitted (fix(binding): treat empty inlineConst object as omitted #9247) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• rolldown: keep enum declaration for optional-chain access (fix(rolldown): keep enum declaration for optional-chain access #9229) by @Dunqing
• link_stage: restore inline let-else in exports-kind filter (fix(link_stage): restore inline let-else in exports-kind filter #9237) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• dev/lazy: avoid module reinitialization in lazy compilation patches (fix(dev/lazy): avoid module reinitialization in lazy compilation patches #9179) by @h-a-n-a
• dev: visit identifier references for runtime rewrites in HMR finalizer (fix(dev): visit identifier references for runtime rewrites in HMR finalizer #9191) by @h-a-n-a
• chunk-optimizer: pick dominator for runtime placement to avoid cycles (fix(chunk-optimizer): pick dominator for runtime placement to avoid cycles #9164) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• make this.emitFile chunk path synchronous to avoid deadlock (fix: make this.emitFile chunk path synchronous to avoid deadlock #9031) by @lazarv
• use sentinel id for browser: false ignored modules (fix: use sentinel id for browser: false ignored modules #9192) by @shulaoda
• prevent chunk optimizer from creating import cycles (fix: prevent chunk optimizer from creating import cycles #9228) by @IWANABETHATGUY

🚜 Refactor

• replace tokio::sync::Mutex with std::sync::Mutex for non-IO data (refactor: replace tokio::sync::Mutex with std::sync::Mutex for non-IO data #9176) by @shulaoda
• rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob: do not rewrite import path for absolute base (refactor(rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob): do not rewrite import path for absolute base #9195) by @shulaoda
• runtime_helper: wrap DependedRuntimeHelperMap in a struct (refactor(runtime_helper): wrap DependedRuntimeHelperMap in a struct #9215) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• drop redundant clear() in determine_safely_merge_cjs_ns (refactor: drop redundant clear() in determine_safely_merge_cjs_ns #9206) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• clean up generate_lazy_export (refactor: clean up generate_lazy_export #9208) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• bitset: return bool from set_bit to fuse guard-and-set (refactor(bitset): return bool from set_bit to fuse guard-and-set #9207) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• link_stage: simplify exports-kind filter and clarify safety comments (refactor(link_stage): simplify exports-kind filter and clarify safety comments #9205) by @IWANABETHATGUY

📚 Documentation

• determine_module_exports_kind (docs: determine_module_exports_kind #9252) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• fix dead link to esbuild ESM/CJS interop tests (docs: fix dead link to esbuild ESM/CJS interop tests #9230) by @Copilot
• remove CSS bundling references (docs: remove CSS bundling references #9234) by @shulaoda
• correct IncrementalFullBuild row in BundleMode table (docs: correct IncrementalFullBuild row in BundleMode table #9214) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• design: add bundler data lifecycle design doc (docs(design): add bundler data lifecycle design doc #9212) by @hyf0
• remove minifier alpha status notices (docs: remove minifier alpha status notices #9202) by @sapphi-red

⚙️ Miscellaneous Tasks

• upgrade oxc to 0.128.0 (chore: upgrade oxc to 0.128.0 #9260) by @shulaoda
• deps: bump rolldown-ariadne to 0.6.0 (chore(deps): bump rolldown-ariadne to 0.6.0 #9254) by @IWANABETHATGUY
• deps: update github actions (chore(deps): update github actions #9259) by @renovate[bot]
• deps: update github actions (chore(deps): update github actions #9258) by @renovate[bot]
• remove renovate overrides (chore: remove renovate overrides #9257) by @Boshen
• use ubuntu-latest for security workflow (ci: use ubuntu-latest for security workflow #9256) by @Boshen
• notify Discord around release publish (ci: notify Discord around release publish #9251) by @Boshen
• add release environment to npm publish workflow (ci: add release environment to npm publish workflow #9250) by @Boshen
• justfile: drop the -- separator before forwarded args in vp run (chore(justfile): drop the -- separator before forwarded args in vp run #9246) by @shulaoda
• deps: update test262 submodule for tests (chore(deps): update test262 submodule for tests #9243) by @sapphi-red
• add more tracing instrumentations (chore: add more tracing instrumentations #9220) by @sapphi-red
• rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob: remove outdated sourcemap doc comment (chore(rolldown_plugin_vite_import_glob): remove outdated sourcemap doc comment #9213) by @shulaoda
• update security workflow (chore: update security workflow #9201) by @Boshen

❤️ New Contributors

• @lazarv made their first contribution in #9031