Learning TypeScript: Taking the first step towards static typing 🚀

If you've ever worked with JavaScript, you've probably heard of TypeScript. It is a typed superset of JavaScript, which helps make your code more secure and easier to maintain. But what exactly does this mean? Let's find out!

What is TypeScript?

TypeScript is a programming language developed and maintained by Microsoft. It is a superset of JavaScript, which means that any valid JavaScript code is also valid TypeScript code. However, TypeScript adds several features to JavaScript, the most notable being static typing.

Static typing means that you define the type of a variable when you declare it, and the type of that variable cannot change. This is in contrast to JavaScript, which is a dynamically typed language where the type of a variable can change at run time.

Why is this useful? Because it allows you to catch type errors at compile time rather than at run time. This can help you avoid many common mistakes and make your code easier to understand and maintain.

let age: number = 25;// Correctage = '25';// Error! '25' is not a number

Configuring the Environment

Before you start, you need to have Node.js and TypeScript installed on your computer. You can download Node.js here, and install TypeScript using npm, which is the Node.js package manager:

npm install -g typescript

Writing your first TypeScript code

Let's start by writing a simple TypeScript file. Create a new file called hello.ts and add the following code:

let message: string = 'Hello world!';console.log(message);

To compile the TypeScript file into JavaScript, use the tsc command followed by the file name:

tsc hello.ts

This will create a new hello.js file with the compiled JavaScript code. You can run this file with Node.js:

node hello.js

And that's all you need to start working with TypeScript!

Benefits of TypeScript

Static typing isn't the only feature TypeScript adds to JavaScript. Also includes support for ES6 classes and modules, interfaces, generic types, enumerations, and more. All these features make TypeScript a powerful tool for developing large and complex JavaScript applications.

Conclusion

TypeScript is a valuable addition to any JavaScript developer's toolbox. It provides an additional layer of security to your code and can make your code clearer and easier to maintain. If you haven't tried TypeScript yet, I encourage you to give it a try!

To continue learning and improving your programming skills, check out the article on Python: Building a Basic Web Application.

Let's go up 🦅