Trying out Typescript

in   1.745 minutes read

I’m trying out the javascript superset language TypeScript. A Typed language that compiles to Javascript. It was invetend by some pretty smart people over at Microsoft but, it is maintained Open Source. That - is a very good thing™.

So let’s get started.

Why would you use typescript?

So, lets begin with some of the challenges with writing javascript applications. If you are sloppy with the code, not using the revealing module pattern, or reavling prototype pattern - the code tends to turn to spaghetti code, being impossible to maintain.

It’s not impossible to write good, maintainable Javascript. But Typescript makes it easier.

######JS, The good:######

  • Variables can hold any object
  • Types determined on the fly
  • Implicit type coercion (ex: string or number)

######JS, The bad:######

  • Difficult to ensure proper types are passed
  • Not all developers use ===
  • Enterprise-scale apps can have 1000s of lines of code to maintain.

For developers, moving from server-side apps to client-side apps can be challenging. Depending on the language they come from, (PHP, .NET, Java) Typescript help to make that transition.

Typescript isn’t the only alternative, but it’s the one i will be trying out today. Others are Dart, Coffescript.

Features

  • It will work in any browser
  • It will work in any host, browser or Node
  • Any OS
  • It is Open Source(!)
  • Very good tooling support (eg: Visual Studio, Sublime, Node.js, Vi, Emacs)

Okey, that sounds good… so what more?

  • Supports standard Javascript code
  • Provides Static Typing
  • Encapsulation through classes and modules
  • Support for constructors, properties, functions.
  • Define interfaces
  • Compiler & Tooling captures violations of syntax, types or interfaces.
  • Lambda support
  • Intellisense and again, Syntax checking.

So that is some of the Typescript major features.

I will now indulge myself in the video Typescript Fundamentals from Pluralsight. If you don’t have access to Pluralsight, i suggest watching this Introduction Video to TypeScript by Anders Hejlsberg

I will write some really simple examples of Typescript during the week and post them here. If you want to get started with TypeScript yourself, I suggest you head over to typescriptlang.org and head to the Play section!


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