Sweep is a common feature in most of the CAD software to produce a solid. As mentioned before (see here), to make the sweep feature, you would need a "sweep profile" and a "sweep path". In SolidWorks, the sweep path need not coincide the sweep profile.
Compared to other CAD software, SolidWorks sweep feature offers a lot additional options.
Options
The first options on the feature shown is very useful for creating twisting solid. For demonstration, you could see the picture below. The shown solid is created by choosing "Twist Along Path" for 3 turns.
Guide Curves
Guide curve function allows you to have the sweeping profile to follow the guide curve in addition to following the sweeping path. User can select more than one guide curves to create complex solids.
Start/End Tangency
The Start/End tangency allow you to have the starting or ending profile of the swept solid to be tangential to either the sweeping path or another specified directional vector.
Thin Feature
Same like extrude and revolve, sweep function also allow user to have thin-feature option to make a hollow solid.
