Why You Should Use Typescript Over Javascript?

What Typescript Actually Is?

Typescript is a strongly typed programming language like Java or C and typescript compiles into javascript so that we can use it in our browser or other platforms.

Reasons To Use Typescript Over Javascript

1. Type Safety

   
   When we do dynamic assigning in javascript it allows us to do that and also it will give us expected results. but if you are working on a large codebase you are not going to track each variable and ensure the types of each of them

2. Better Auto-Complete

   Typescript provides a complete type system so that ide/text editors eg.vs code can give you better autocompletion on your whole project and increase your productivity.

3. Conversion From Javascript To Typescript

   
   Every valid javascript is a valid typescript. so you can start by converting your file to typescript files and set the rules of typescript low and make it strict as time goes on

Where To Start

Tyescript Website And Doc
Freecodecamp Video For Typescript

conclusion

Typescript is better tool to use when you are comfortable with javascript and need more control over your codebase and want to catch silly mistake on compile-time rather than runtime.

Comments

[tq-bit]

Note that you can also use jsdoc for ts-like typing.

jsdoc.app/tags-typedef.html

VSCode also has this convenient builtin feature that allows you to infer types from those comments. You just have to activate this one:

"javascript.implicitProjectConfig.checkJs": true

I get why people prefer TS over JS Really. I just also noticed TS types clutter the code quite a bit (especially if you're used to dynamic typing) and require an additional compiling step. I seldom see this considered in posts about the two languages.

[Pacharapol Withayasakpunt]

Yes, I do use JSDoc, along with // @ts-check, if I had to use JavaScript.

However, not only that it is harder to declare complex types, but also that IntelliSense is still less smart, even with ts-check on.

[tq-bit]

Your comment got me curious on complex types - I haven't used JSDoc trying to declare such yet. Can you please explain this a bit further?
I couldn't find a lot of good examples in the ts docs, neither on the www.

[Pacharapol Withayasakpunt]

As far as I know, you can

• Use /** @type {} */ to specify types for a variable
• Use /** @type {} */ (x) to force a variable to type
• Use /** @typedef {} */ to declare a type in advance

But still,

• I don't know how to declare generics.
• I don't know how to export types of JSDoc from a file.

BTW, much of typing works inside /** @type {} */'s bracelets. You can even use import().Class and use TypeScript interface syntax inside them.

[Shreyansh sheth]

Yes, JSDoc is also a nice alternative if you don't want to use typescript .basically they both achieve the same things differently. ​
And One more compiling step does not affect anything at all because in the end, you are getting what you need.

The main thing is it boils down to personal preference that how you prefer writing your code.

[Anurag Vohra]

jsdoc is way cumbersome to use, as compared to typescript (especially Typescript infering many things on its own, where as jsdoc is bit verbose).
Further more, Typescript provide compilation, and future javascript now.

[tq-bit]

I get your point. You've got to learn it, but so would you have to get used to Typescript syntax. I didn't really find it cumbersome. And about verbosity - that's what JSDoc is there for I guess. But instead of having all the types inside your code, you can keep them separate and even enrich them with intel that eventually ends up in your technical documentation. I'm sure there are ways around this as well, but then again why use TS next to JSDoc for automated doc creation?

[Kinanee Samson]

TypeScript was built for application development, i Write and ship out products built with TypeScript faster than those built with JavaScript.

[Jon Randy 🎖️]

Horses for courses.

For a lot of projects, TS is simply overkill (like a lot of stuff these days - looking at you, React). Often, we should simply embrace JS for what it is, and how it works. Dynamic typing can be extremely useful, as can features like implicit type coercion - if you understand them and how to use them. A lot of developers simply use TS as a crutch when coming from a strictly typed language, to avoid having to learn how JS does things. This is a mistake

[Shreyansh sheth]

That is not the case when you use typescript. You can use dynamic types when needed but dynamic type is so much prone to errors when working with team.
Also note that typescript does not change anything it just add layer of types on top of javascript so developer can get better experience programming.

[Jon Randy 🎖️]

I know what TS is, what it is used for, and how it works - I've used it, and can see why it can make sense in some projects. I'm just saying it isn't a good fit for some projects and it just adds unnecessary fuss and overhead.

It's also debatable whether having a layer of types on top of JS gives a better experience to the developer. Some developers (myself included) prefer dynamically typed languages and dislike the extra formality of working with typed code.

[Shreyansh sheth]

At the end it is personal preference. But if you are working on team than person preference does not matter that much and also type safety is must in some situations where you have to manage lots of things.
Every team that I've worked on uses typescript for better development experience across the board.

[Rammina]

Typescript still has some scenarios in which it should not be used over JavaScript.
One of the few reasons include more boilerplate, longer build/compile time, less flexibility, lack of support in some libraries, and so on.

There are more here, if you'd like to check it out:
dev.to/rammina/downsides-of-typesc...

[Maroš Beťko]

None of the points you've mentioned there are points against using typescript. I would argue there isn't a single project that you shouldn't use Typescript on. Even if you just add a bare minimum non-strict tsconfig and use no explicit types at all it's basically javascript but safer. You can't be bothered by thinking about what your function arguments types should be? Just use any and go the js way. But don't complain when half your codebase catches fire in 2 months after you decide to do a seemingly unrelated refactor.

[Rammina]

Let me ask you questions:

• would you use Typescript if an important library you will be using has no type definition files?
• do you think it is worth writing type definition files down yourself?
• are you sure that using any over and over again will not have any negative consequences or create a false sense of security for a development team that uses Typescript?

[Shreyansh sheth]

any is only useful when you are stuck in something that does not have type defs and also when you are working with some javascript library that does not have any types. also note that i wrote starting out with loose typescript configuration and make it strict along the way.

[Maroš Beťko]

Not even for that. You shouldn't use any at all and use unknown and never instead. I've used any as an example for someone who doesn't really want to use typescript.

[Shreyansh sheth]

i 100% agree that any is the troublemaker and we should be using never & unknown.

[Brendan Cowley]

Different strokes for different folks. It really comes down to personal preference, and maybe one day we'll all get on the same page with there is no one right way to do anything and that you pick the right tool for the right job not use a 10 ton sledge hammer in every single instance.

[Kinanee Samson]

Once you start building industrial scale apps, you can't use JavaScript.

[Charlie J Smotherman]

So what did the large industrial scale apps use before typescript was released then?

So yes you can use just javascript, typescript just makes it easier