TypeScript vs. JavaScript: Four Must-Know Facts
- JavaScript is a scripting language known to web developers around the world.
- TypeScript is an expansion, or superset, of JavaScript.
- TypeScript uses a compiler to generate JavaScript code.
- TypeScript uses static typing to improve accuracy in complex projects.
When starting a new development project, it can be difficult to decide which programming language is the best fit. JavaScript is a popular language that is often the first one learned by developers. However, a growing number of professionals are embracing the features of JavaScript’s relative, TypeScript.
Because TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, the two languages share many similarities in terms of syntax. However, the differences in TypeScript stem from the fact that Microsoft developed this language to help programmers create large, complex projects.
Understanding the pros and cons of the two programming languages will improve the performance when utilizing either or both of them in a project.
TypeScript vs. JavaScript: Side-by-Side Comparison
| TypeScript | JavaScript | |
|---|---|---|
| First version: | 2012 | 1995 |
| Developer: | Microsoft | Netscape |
| Skill-level: | Requires experience | Entry-level coding |
| Typing style: | Static | Dynamic |
| Requires compiler: | Yes | No |
| Inheritance: | Classes | Prototypes |
JavaScript: Fundamental Web Development Language
Introduced by Netscape in 1995, JavaScript is one of the fundamental languages of web development. Most interactive websites use JavaScript as a basic building because it runs directly on most browsers. As a scripting language, JavaScript offers fast performance for simple front-end tasks.
The world of this language is also full of supportive tools like libraries and frameworks. Experienced programmers can use JQuery or Angular to improve their sites and simplify their programming. The age of the language also means that there are many seasoned JS programmers around. Asking a JS question on a site like Stack Overflow will give developers plenty of answers.
When students first learn web development, they are primarily concerned with creating sites with interactive features. JavaScript is perfect for this kind of front-end development. However, programming for the back end can be more challenging with this language. Although developers can use JavaScript for both client-side and server-side tasks, they often switch to newer languages like TypeScript for more efficient back-end programming.
TypeScript: Expanding the Capabilities of JavaScript
As more programmers began to build back-end structures with JavaScript, they realized the limitations of this language. In 2012, Microsoft introduced TypeScript as a way to expand on the features of JavaScript. They hoped that the new compiled language would empower developers to take on more complicated projects.
TypeScript is an expanded version of JavaScript. It follows the ECMAScript Syntax 2015. Compiling a TypeScript program results in JavaScript code. One of the advantages of this programming language is that developers can run JavaScript as TypeScript without any conflicts. This feature allows programmers to use JS for components while creating a complex structure with TS.
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The pros and cons of TypeScript represent its unique niche in the programming world. While the number of developers using the language is increasing, a search on a developer site like Stack Overflow will result in more hits for pure JavaScript than TypeScript.
Because it uses a compiler, setting up TS on a local computer can create some challenges for a new programmer. However, several popular IDEs have introduced TypeScript specific resources on their platforms.
The similarities between TypeScript and JavaScript offer several advantages for advanced programmers. Because TypeScript derives from JavaScript, TS programmers can use most JS libraries as part of their projects without any trouble. They can also bundle older JS programs into their current TS code.
The differences between the two languages also bring benefits. Features like static typing and type checking increase the accuracy of a developer’s code. They will spend less time debugging large projects because the TS compiler automatically throws exceptions ahead of runtime.
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TypeScript vs JavaScript: Which One Should You Use?
The pros and cons of choosing TypeScript over JavaScript are typically a matter of scale. Smaller projects do not need the robust resources of TypeScript. For a new programmer, setting up and learning TypeScript on a local computer does not bring the immediate rewards of running a JavaScript program through a browser.
However, experienced programmers will appreciate the expanded features that TypeScript brings to complex projects. This programming language will empower developers as they move from the client-side to the server-side without performance issues. TypeScript is a helpful resource for full-stack development.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Mr. Kosal/Shutterstock.com.
