If you’re learning TypeScript or want to try it out, you might want to read this first.
Hello, fellow coders, programmers, web developers, or whatever you prefer calling yourself. If you’ve been working on a website, it’s highly possible that you’ve been writing mainly in JavaScript, especially on the front-end side. If not, you will eventually. JavaScript is unescapable when it comes to the web; even if it’s not your chosen language for writing web applications, you’ll still end up using JavaScript libraries as you progress.
JavaScript has been the go-to programming language for creating interactive and dynamic websites. In fact, it’s one of the main languages of the browser, along with HTML and CSS. But one day, Microsoft introduced TypeScript, promising to solve all the problems with JavaScript, and developers started turning heads towards it. The popularity of this language has been steadily increasing among JavaScript developers, with its community continuing to grow.
A year ago, I myself was convinced to switch because of its promised benefits that plain JavaScript couldn’t provide. And as I use it, it helps me catch errors faster during development and provides better code organization in exchange for writing additional code. Additionally, TypeScript offers type safety, which can prevent a whole class of bugs that are common in JavaScript. Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast.
Despite these advantages, there are several reasons why you might want to think twice before making the switch to TypeScript.
Learning Curve
TypeScript introduces additional complexity. If you’re already proficient in JavaScript, learning TypeScript requires you to understand new concepts like interfaces, generics, and type annotations. This can be daunting, especially if you're on a tight project deadline. The time spent learning and adapting to TypeScript could be better spent improving your JavaScript skills or learning other tools and frameworks that might offer a more immediate benefit to your projects.
Increased Boilerplate
TypeScript requires more code. The need to define types for your variables, functions, and objects means that you’ll often find yourself writing a lot of additional code. This can make your codebase larger and more cumbersome to manage, which could potentially slow down your development process, particularly for smaller projects where the overhead of TypeScript might not be justified.
Compilation Overhead
JavaScript is interpreted directly by the browser, but TypeScript needs to be compiled into JavaScript before it can be executed. This additional compilation step can add complexity to your build process and slow down your development workflow. Debugging also becomes more complicated because you have to map TypeScript errors back to the original TypeScript code rather than the compiled JavaScript.
Community and Ecosystem
While TypeScript has a growing community, JavaScript's ecosystem is still significantly larger. Many libraries and frameworks are written in JavaScript, and while most popular ones now have TypeScript definitions, you might still encounter issues with libraries that don't support TypeScript well. This can lead to compatibility problems and additional time spent resolving these issues.
Flexibility vs. Strictness
One of JavaScript's strengths is its flexibility. TypeScript’s strict type system, while preventing some bugs, can also limit this flexibility. For instance, in JavaScript, you can quickly prototype ideas without worrying about types, but in TypeScript, you need to define types for everything upfront. This can slow down your initial development speed and stifle creativity.
Not Necessary for All Projects
For many projects, the benefits of TypeScript may not outweigh the costs. If you’re working on a small to medium-sized project, the additional type safety and tooling provided by TypeScript might not provide enough benefits to justify the switch. JavaScript, especially with modern ES6+ features, is powerful and flexible enough to handle many use cases without the need for TypeScript.
Conclusion
While TypeScript offers many benefits, it’s not always the best choice for every project or developer. The additional complexity, learning curve, and development overhead can be significant downsides, especially for smaller projects or developers who are already proficient in JavaScript. Before making the switch, it’s important to weigh these factors and consider whether TypeScript’s advantages are worth the trade-offs in your specific situation.
In the end, the choice between TypeScript and JavaScript comes down to your individual needs and preferences. JavaScript has stood the test of time as the language of the web, and for many projects, it remains the best tool for the job. So, before you jump on the TypeScript bandwagon, consider whether it truly adds value to your workflow or if you’re better off sticking with good old JavaScript.
That's all for today.
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Top comments (9)
Not one of the reasons you give is a reason to "never switch to TypeScript".
...because you already know all the good techniques and patterns, and never need to learn anything new?
...ever heard of Deno? Bun? And most bundlers can handle TS seamlessly "Vite supports importing .ts files out of the box.". Many, like Vite, do hot module replacement - you don't even need to hit refresh
...being a superset of JS, you can use TS as much or as little as you want, and it quickly becomes second nature.
..."you might encounter compatibility problems", ... so don't even try because you might? Any well-written JS module works seamlessly with TS. In fact even the badly written ones do.
...even if this were true (it's not), TS can be set to treat all un-typed JS constructs as
anytype. What TS really buys you is flexibility in the future. It's so much easier to refactor, extend and develop code when the changes you make instantly lightup dependencies in your code that will break as a result. It saves hours on anything except the smallest project.I kind of wonder if this was written just to be click-bait or the spark of a flame war, or if you just don't have any experience of writing complex systems that have a lifetime of years and not days?
Thanks for your detailed insights, Matt. You raise some valid points that highlight the flexibility and benefits of TypeScript, especially for larger projects with long-term maintenance. My aim was to provide a balanced perspective and to consider scenarios where TypeScript might introduce overhead or complexity that some developers might prefer to avoid, especially in smaller projects. It's always important to evaluate the needs of your specific project and team before deciding. Appreciate your input!
"My aim was to provide a balanced perspective..."
Maybe "never" was a rather hyperbolic term, then.
My concern is that people unfamiliar with advanced software development might take you at your word, and miss out on learning new techniques and insights.
I think we all have a responsibility to present our views positively, avoiding "never" & "don't". I am, for example, well aware of typescript's costs, but you could have mentioned how JSDoc provides typing without compilation, or encouraged the use of Hungarian notation to aid the developer, or any of a number of techniques to improve JS development without simply listing a bunch of negative opinions, none of which you evidence in any substantive way.
That having been said, I'd never discourage anyone from writing about their experiences. But be prepared to have them challenged!
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