What is TypeScript?
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TypeScript is a programming language developed and maintained by Microsoft. It is a strict syntactical superset of JavaScript, meaning it includes all JavaScript features and adds additional capabilities, most notably optional static typing.
Key Features of TypeScript
Optional Static Typing: Unlike JavaScript, TypeScript allows you to define types for variables, function parameters, and return values, enhancing code quality and reducing bugs.
Superset of JavaScript: TypeScript builds on JavaScript, meaning any valid JavaScript code is also valid TypeScript code. This makes transitioning to TypeScript straightforward.
How Does TypeScript Code Run?
TypeScript code itself does not run directly in the browser or any JavaScript runtime environment like Node.js. Instead, TypeScript code is compiled into plain JavaScript code, which can then be executed by the browser or Node.js.
JavaScript as the Runtime Language: The browser and Node.js understand only JavaScript. Thus, TypeScript must be converted (compiled) into JavaScript before it can run.
Compilation Process: During the compilation process, TypeScript performs type checking. If there are type errors, the compilation fails, and the JavaScript code is not generated. This ensures that only type-safe code is converted into JavaScript.
TypeScript Compiler
The official TypeScript compiler is tsc. This tool is used to compile TypeScript code into JavaScript.
How to Use tsc:
Install TypeScript: Install TypeScript globally using npm.
Compile TypeScript: Use the tsc command to compile your TypeScript file.
Other Compilers/Transpilers
Apart from tsc, there are several other popular tools to compile or transpile TypeScript into JavaScript:
esbuild: Known for its speed, esbuild is a modern build tool that supports TypeScript and offers very fast compilation.
swc: Another fast compiler written in Rust, swc provides excellent performance for large codebases and supports TypeScript.
By using these tools, developers can seamlessly integrate TypeScript into their development workflow, ensuring that the code is robust, maintainable, and free from type-related errors.
