What is TypeScript? Definition, History, Features and Uses

TypeScript has gained popularity over the past few years. One of the best frontend frameworks, Angular also uses TypeScript because of its numerous benefits.

Did you know that approx 60% of JavaScript developers already use TypeScript and 22% of developers want to try it?

In this web blog post, I will introduce you to the basic concept of TypeScript and why you should choose it?

Read further to see some of the best features of this superb language.

Definition of TypeScript

So, What is TypeScript? Let’s start with a formal definition.

TypeScript is a strongly typed Object-Oriented open source programming language that builds on JavaScript. It is developed and supported by Microsoft. Actually, it is a strong superset of JavaScript and consists of all its segments. In simple terms, each JavaScript code is a valid TypeScript code, which means if anything is implemented in JavaScript by using TypeScript, you can add the enhanced features of your choice. 

By converting TypeScript into JavaScript, it will be much simpler to combine it into JavaScript projects. The methodology of TypeScript is very similar to OOPS, so a TypeScript code can be converted into JavaScript with the help of the TypeScript Compiler.

Eventually, Typescript compiles to Javascript, so the end code can run on any environment which supports JavaScript.

A Brief History of TypeScript

Did Microsoft create TypeScript? Yes, TypeScript was created by Microsoft. Anders Hejlsberg, a distinguished engineer at Microsoft, started developing TypeScript in 2010, and its first public release, known as TypeScript 0.8, became available in 2012.

Even so, TypeScript is supported by many software developers, but its major drawback is the lack of IDEs, so many JavaScript developer’s communities did not wholly adopt it.

As the developer’s community grows, new versions of Typescript with more advanced features are regularly released to make it simpler to start with TypeScript. 

Why Use TypeScript?

Here are some reasons why you should choose TypeScript for your development process.

• Using Typescript, you will immediately know about the type error because of the real-time IDE feedback. Obviously, the TypeScript compiler is not the solution for all the problems, but it could warn you about most of the bugs.

• With TypeScript, you will get excellent syntax compilation using good IDEs.

• You will get to know new programming concepts if you learn TypeScript.

• Making changes in the program is less painful in Typescript because the compiler will warn you if you have to make another change.

•  Most of the big firms are using it due to its flexibility and scalability for solving complex problems; that’s why its popularity is increasing day by day because

TypeScript Features You Might want to Know

Here are the typescript top features

• Object-Oriented Language
• Support for JavaScript Libraries
• Compatibility with JavaScript
• Cross-Platform and Portable
• Enhanced DOM Manipulation

let’s explore these in detail.

It has features of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).

TypeScript offers robust Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) features, allowing developers to write cleaner, more organized, and maintainable code. It supports classes, interfaces, inheritance, and method access modifiers, making it ideal for creating large-scale applications with clear structure.

It supports Interfaces, Generics, Inheritance, and Method Access Modifiers.

TypeScript supports interfaces, generics, inheritance, and method access modifiers, which make code more predictable and type-safe. Interfaces define contracts within the code, generics provide compile-time checking and reusability, and inheritance facilitates reusability by allowing new classes to extend existing ones.

TypeScript has several access modifiers, including public, private, protected, and readonly, to better control class members.

It is a Static Type.

TypeScript’s static typing allows developers to specify variable types, reducing runtime errors significantly. With recent advancements, TypeScript now offers even better type inference, meaning it can often deduce types automatically, which reduces verbosity while maintaining strict type checks.

This balance between explicit typing and intelligent inference makes TypeScript code safer and easier to refactor.

Compile-Time/Static Type Checking

TypeScript performs static type-checking at compile time, allowing developers to catch errors early in the development process. Any syntax or type-related issues are flagged immediately, ensuring a smooth runtime experience.

This early error detection is particularly helpful in large projects where runtime errors are costly and time-consuming.

It has less Code as Compared to JavaScript.

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript and reduces boilerplate code with helper classes and utility types that simplify coding tasks. With the latest updates, TypeScript has added new utility types and supports conditional types, which help to reduce repetitive code further, making it more maintainable and efficient.

Enhanced Support for Modern JavaScript

TypeScript keeps pace with the latest JavaScript features (such as optional chaining, nullish coalescing, and #private fields in classes). By using TypeScript, developers gain access to these cutting-edge JavaScript features with added type safety, making it possible to write modern, scalable code compatible with the latest JavaScript standards.

Better Tooling and IDE Support

One of TypeScript’s strong points today is the comprehensive IDE support. Modern editors like Visual Studio Code provide deep integration with TypeScript, offering features like IntelliSense, inline type checks, refactoring support, and more. These tools significantly improve productivity and code quality, making TypeScript more accessible to JavaScript developers.

It may save your project from failure.

Bugs in the program are just annoying, and sometimes it is due to the typing error to complete the project before the deadline. Let’s say you are building a big firm worth a million dollars that automatically processes employees’ salaries. This is an example of a reliable system. This is possible because of the in-built static typing, which can save your project from failure. 

Why should you choose TypeScript over JavaScript?

If you have question like “Is typescript more popular than Javascript?” then here is the answer to your question.

TypeScript is authentic.

In comparison to JavaScript, TypeScript is easy to rewrite. This makes it easier for programmers to find the bugs that slip into Javascript Database and instantly fix all the errors while writing new code.

TypeScript is crystal clear.

Creating Types obviously brings our attention to how our system is formed and how it interacts with each component. Types allow the users to abstract away the remaining system while keeping the context in mind. 

TypeScript and JavaScript are practically interchangeable.

As JavaScript is a strict subset of TypeScript so the libraries of JavaScript can be used to write Typescript code. There are many popular libraries of JavaScript, including Definitely Typed, which you can use to make your interactions more type-safe. 

Here click on TypeScript vs JavaScript to learn more….

Is TypeScript better than Python?

• Python is not good in supporting mobile computing but is good in supporting data science and desktop. Python is not very much used to develop front-end applications, so few mobile applications are developed using Python. TypeScript, on the other hand, in the combination of Javascript frameworks, creates impressive mobile applications. TypeScript can make the development process enterprise-level if used with a good IDE.

• Python is a very simple language to write, and its clean code can help you run applications quickly. On the contrary, TypeScript is a bit wordy and takes some time to create an application.

• TypeScript can be used for developing both front-end and back-end applications. Whilst Python is mostly preferred for developing backend applications.

Related:- Best IDE for Python Development

Typescript FAQs

Is Typescript front end or backend?

Typescript is a strict superset of JavaScript, and as we know, JavaScript is used for both the front end and back end. Since TypeScript works with JavaScript, it can also be used for front-end and back-end projects.

What is Typescript used for?

TypeScript allows IDEs to provide a more prosperous environment for spotting common bugs as you type the code. Also, TypeScript makes typing a bit easier and a lot less evident through the usage of type conclusion. 

Conclusions

In general, a Typescript is a must-have tool by your side even if you don’t use it fully. Take baby steps and learn new things every day as the new features add on. Beginners can quickly grasp Typescript, so if you are a newbie, then you can start your journey with this amazing language.

I believe you find this article helpful, and if you have any queries, make sure to mention them in the comment section below.

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