TypeScript vs JavaScript: A Fight for the Web

JavaScript is one of the most used languages on the planet. 95% of all websites used JavaScript in 2018; it’s the king of client-side, and it’s effective for adding interactivity to HTML and CSS pages. However, the people who designed TypeScript think it’s outdated and it’s time for a new language to run the front end of the internet. 

In this article, we will examine both languages. You will see how TypeScript stands up to JavaScript, and help you, as a current or future developer, decide which is right for you. Here is the difference between TypeScript and JavaScript.

JavaScript

The JavaScript programming language was created by Brendan Eich for Netscape in 1995. It’s a high level, multi-paradigm, just in time compiled language built for the web. In fact, JavaScript only runs in web browsers without a custom platform like Node.js, which is still usually used for server-side applications. JavaScript is also dynamically typed, meaning that the types of data used by your program are determined after you type it, usually at runtime.

TypeScript

Typescript is a lot younger, it was released in 2012 by Microsoft. TypeScript isn’t so much a unique language as an open-source addition to JavaScript. This is called a superset; when a language has all the features of another language while adding on to it. 

C and C++ are examples of the same idea, C++ is just C with classes. In this case, TypeScript is just JavaScript that’s strongly typed and has classes (along with some other improvements). In fact, the TypeScript compiler just turns TypeScript code into JavaScript code which browsers recognize. 

JavaScript vs TypeScript

So which is better? Why have static typing when speed isn’t improved? Let’s compare the two languages.

Syntax

JavaScript is designed to be loose and easy to use. It’s multi-paradigm; which means you can code however you like with JavaScript. Dynamic typing means you don’t have to pay much attention to your datatypes. 

These features all sound like pros rather than cons, and they can be if you are working on something small by yourself. However, if you are trying to develop a complex JavaScript application with multiple team members, the freedoms offered by JavaScript can become a curse. 

When multiple people on a software development team code their own way, that code is much harder to read and develop off of. The bigger the program the messier it becomes. That is until it’s too difficult to tell what goes where and even the people who made the code don’t remember how it works. 

This is what TypeScript was designed to avoid. TypeScript offers a robust typing system, with static type checking, so variable types have to be declared. It supports classes so object-oriented programming is easier and more robust. Typescript supports type annotations, so it’s clear what type a variable is at declaration. It also has structural typing, meaning you can define a specific structure for the code (and developers) to stick to. 

Part of what makes TypeScript valuable is that all of these features are optional. Because TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, all normal JavaScript code can run with TypeScript. The syntax is the same, just with extra features. 

Now, because of all the extra features, TypeScript can be more confusing to learn, especially if you don’t already know JavaScript. JavaScript is famously easy to learn because it’s so flexible and it allows for less strict design principles. It’s essentially a trade-off between freedom and organization, and freedom is usually preferred if you’re just getting started. 

Readability

Despite the advantages offered by TypeScript, it comes with the downside of reduced readability for most developers. Readability is subjective, however, most programmers agree that the more cluttered code is, the less readable it is (as long as there isn’t too much boilerplate code). 

TypeScript’s inclusion of a typing system means extra lines of code to maintain that typing system. It also means taking the time to declare your types when you’re declaring your variables. This means, while your code is more robust, it’s also harder to read. 

This is one of the main trade-offs that allows JavaScript to keep it’s popularity, especially as a programming language for beginners. Easier to read usually means easier to learn.

Compatibility 

TypeScript is JavaScript, and TypeScript eventually becomes JavaScript. Therefore, anything made in one can be used in the same situation as the other. The only real difference is visible only to the person or people writing the code. 

Support 

JavaScript takes some points in its favor for support. JavaScript hasn’t stopped being the most widespread scripting language for the front end. While TypeScript is growing rapidly, most companies and developers are still using JavaScript. For many, there aren’t enough reasons to switch to TypeScript. A skilled group of programmers may not need TypeScript to keep their code in line. 

Summary

In short, TypeScript is JavaScript with some optional added functions. JavaScript is compatible with TypeScript, and TypeScript is trans-piled into JavaScript before execution. TypeScript adds strong typing features to JavaScript for better organization, like type annotations and structural typing.

Which Should I Choose?

While TypeScript is a valuable addition to JavaScript, not everyone should move from JavaScript development to TypeScript. If your project is smaller and/or worked on by one person, TypeScript might be more work than it’s worth.

On the same note, if you have a large team or a large and complex project, especially one that requires a lot of maintenance or addition, TypeScript might be the better choice for you.

When it comes to a career outlook, learning TypeScript is a very good idea. It’s one of the fastest growing languages, and while it doesn’t have the support JavaScript has, it’s still used widely. 

Besides that, if you learn TypeScript you’re also learning JavaScript, as again, TypeScript is just JavaScript with extra features. If you already know JavaScript, TypeScript is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.