If you are starting to learn web development or programming, there are two terms you might run into while building modern web applications: TypeScript and JavaScript. These two languages have become the go-to tools for every developer across the globe, so much so that many people out there often find themselves asking: What is the difference between TypeScript and JavaScript? This article will cover the differences between these 2 languages in layman terms, and when to use what.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is one of the highly popular programming languages worldwide. It is the primary language for developing interactive web pages. When you do something on a website, like clicking a button, filling out a form, or watching a video, JavaScript is typically running in the background to enable those actions.
JavaScript is an interpreted language, dynamic and loosely typed, so it doesn’t force you to a strict structure. As an example, you never have to declare the type of variable (number, string, boolean, etc.) before using it. This freedom gives JavaScript a great deal of power as a tool for developers, but it can lead to errors if the code isn’t written thoughtfully.
What is TypeScript?
On the contrary, TypeScript was developed as a superset of JavaScript and is a programming language. TypeScript means that it adds these extra features while already including everything from JavaScript. The main difference between TypeScript and JavaScript is static typing.
You can say in TypeScript the type of a variable, for example a number, string, or object. This helps to identify errors at an early stage of development. TypeScript compiles to JavaScript so the code is still runnable in the browsers as it would be with JavaScript.
TypeScript vs JavaScript: The Key Differences
We will discuss the important differences between TypeScript and JavaScript:
Static Typing vs. Dynamic Typing
JavaScript: JavaScript variables are not typed, so you can change the type of a variable whenever you feel like it. So you can have a string variable and later on assign a number and this won’t throw an error.
TypeScript: You must specify the type of every variable. An example that x is declared using string, so you couldn’t set a number into it. This catch potential errors early, and makes code more predictable.
Error Detection:
JavaScript: In JavaScript, errors are typically thrown at runtime, meaning that bugs may not manifest until a user interacts with your app. This can make it harder and slower to debug.
TypeScript: During development, TypeScript will check for errors even before the code runs. It helps you prevent many common errors early, like using a variable incorrectly.
Tooling and Autocompletion:
JavaScript: In big projects, JavaScript provides basic tools/autocompletion support, but not as much help as TypeScript.
TypeScript: TypeScript comes with great tooling support by providing advanced autocompletion and smart suggestions. Because TypeScript understands the types of your variables, it can do better completions similarly and help you code faster.
Learning Curve:
JavaScript: JavaScript is comparatively easy to learn. JavaScript can just be written in your browser’s developer tools or in a basic text editor without the need for much setup.
TypeScript: TypeScript requires that you learn types and other features that JavaScript does not yet have, giving it a steeper learning curve. But once you have the basic understanding of what TypeScript gives you, it will drastically improve how you code.
Compatibility:
JavaScript: Javascript runs natively in all web browsers, a huge convenience for developers.
TypeScript — TypeScript itself is not directly supported by browsers. It must be compiled down to JavaScript using a tool like the TypeScript compiler or Babel. The resulting JavaScript code works just like any other normal JavaScript code once it is compiled.
Why Use TypeScript Instead of JavaScript?
You may ask, If TypeScript has a learning curve and adds overhead, should I use it? So here are some reasons that developers are choosing TypeScript instead of JavaScript:
Improved Code Maintainability: With static typing, TypeScript catches many common programming mistakes. And for big applications, TypeScript will make your codebase more organised and maintainable.
Better Developer Experience: TypeScript has better autocompletion and gives better error-checking, which enables developers to write code faster with fewer bugs. Particularly useful for teams dealing with big projects.
You Get to Use Modern JavaScript Features: TypeScript supports modern JavaScript features, including those that aren’t yet supported by all browsers. This allows you to write cutting-edge code without worrying about catering to legacy browsers.
It is an excellent tool: For large projects, it is a tool for large projects. It has additional capabilities like type definitions and interfaces that can help to define large projects and when working with other developers.
Use TypeScript when to JavaScript:
When should you use JavaScript and when should you go for TypeScript? Here are some guidelines:
Use JavaScript if:
You’re building small projects or prototypes.
You need setup that is much faster and results that are much faster.
There aren’t hard type-checking or error handling requirements.
Use TypeScript if:
You are developing a large project or application.
You wish to benefit from more strict error checking and an overall higher quality of your code.
You want sophisticated tooling and autocompletion.
Conclusion
The Hype between TypeScript Vs JavascriptIn conclusion, the difference between typescript and javascript is something every web developer should understand. JavaScript continues to be a very powerful and versatile language, perfect for small projects and quick tasks. That being said, TypeScript has the advantage of being more organized and less error-prone, which makes it more suitable for large number of tasks. It sucks to choose between these two, and it may all come down to your project, team size, and code quality.
Understanding the differences and advantages of each will help you make a more informed decision regarding which language to use for your next development project.
