JavaScript has been around for over two decades and is still used widely in the current tech industry. However, as technology evolves, it has begun to fall behind. Thus, programs such as TypeScript were created to provide a solution.

TypeScript is a statically typed programming language that builds on JavaScript. Where JavaScript’s dynamically-typed language wouldn’t allow for the classification of both variables and element types, TypeScript does implement this. Things like decorators, interfaces, types, and enums are tools that it adds, making it similar to an upgrade for JavaScript.

Benefits of TypeScript

  • It contains an auto-complete feature that decreases time typing out commands by suggesting the command it thinks a developer needs.
  • Static type checking with TypeScript runs in the background. Before the execution of a command, it scans the code for errors and alerts the developer if something needs to be changed.
  • Using TypeScript within a team of developers is made easier due to its simpler language, clear labeling of code, and increase consistent readability.
  • Unlike JavaScript, which requires much more code to be written and can lead to system vulnerabilities, TypeScript’s predictive tools decrease the total amount of code needed. This makes scalability much easier. TypeScript also alerts developers when any code becomes invalid due to changes with other sections of code.
  • Compatibility with other languages, software, and browser search engines is universal with TypeScript. Code is first written through JavaScript before being converted to an easily integrated code for each search engine. This is JavaScript’s biggest strength, which TypeScript capitalizes on.
  • It fills in JavaScript’s gaps when it comes to the lack of features and tools available within the multi-paradigm language of JavaScript.
  • It’s considered an intersection type, which is significantly more effective than Javascript’s mixin. Intersection types let developers connect to more than one interface to manage necessary methods and is faster compared to mixins.
  • While TypeScript produces JavaScript files that are slightly larger, the excess features of it that weren’t used will vanish once the code has been compiled. (Keep in mind that TypeScript is essentially an add-on to JavaScript.)

Disadvantages of Using TypeScript

It wouldn’t be fair to only look at the positives of TypeScript since every programming language has strengths and weaknesses. Thus, here are some disadvantages of using TypeScript:

  1. TypeScript primarily adds to the tools and features of JavaScript, however, it is dependent on third-party libraries such as JQuery. TypeScript incorporates JavaScript code, but JavaScript doesn’t implement TypeScript code. Its primary goal is to add to JavaScript and not take over its usage.
  2. It takes a little longer to learn how to use TypeScript due to its own tools and features. Developers, on the other hand, have argued that the time taken to learn this language is worth the results it presents.
  3. File sizes are larger with TypeScript compared to JavaScript. It can be anywhere from 20-30% bigger.

The Pros are Worth More Than the Cons

TypeScript has many more pros than it does cons. This makes it an ideal programming language to use. It is not the only recommended language by developers of course. There are so many more good languages out there. To decide whether TypeScript, JavaScript, or another language is the right fit, look objectively at the pros and cons of each, as well as what kind of project it is needed for.