I’m passionate about TypeScript. Whenever I meet new developers, I find that there are some important facts about TypeScript that they should be aware of:
TypeScript won’t save you from JavaScript’s core nature
Many people attend TypeScript workshops hoping it will be a “better” or “fixed” version of JavaScript. However, TypeScript is actually a superset of JavaScript, meaning it retains all of JavaScript’s history, quirks, and gotchas. While it helps prevent mistakes and offers benefits of static typing, at its core, TypeScript is still JavaScript. It’s essential to remember that TypeScript won’t let you completely abandon JavaScript; it will always be present and may still surprise you.
TypeScript adds complexity to your projects
TypeScript’s gradual approach allows you to use as many types as you prefer, which can make it seem like a seamless addition to JavaScript. However, behind the scenes, TypeScript brings various integrations and configurations to ensure compatibility across different environments and libraries. This can be overwhelming, and understanding the trade-offs and configurations can be challenging.
TypeScript is not entirely type-safe
While TypeScript excels in ensuring type safety within your application’s internal code, it becomes less certain when interacting with external input and IO operations like user input, file access, or internet data retrieval. At these edges, TypeScript relies on your type annotations or assertions, and mistakes can happen, potentially compromising type safety. TypeScript prioritizes productivity over provable type-safety.
TypeScript comes in various flavors
The flexibility of TypeScript allows developers to write it in different ways, catering to their preferences and project needs. Depending on the team’s expertise, project requirements, and style preferences, TypeScript projects can look drastically different from one another. The choices you make about types, interfaces, enums, and other features can have significant impacts on your codebase.
TypeScript is undeniably worth it
Despite the challenges and complexities, TypeScript proves its worth in the long run. Understanding the language, its strengths, weaknesses, and design goals empowers you to leverage its power as a type system and programming language fully. TypeScript can make your life and your team’s life easier by enhancing code maintainability and providing valuable static analysis. After working with TypeScript and embracing its capabilities, you’ll likely find joy in the process.
So, even though TypeScript may have its imperfections, it remains a valuable tool in modern software development. Embrace its features, understand its nuances, and TypeScript will prove to be a powerful asset that enhances your coding experience and project outcomes.