JavaScript programming language is a widely used language that can create robust websites and applications.
TypeScript, on the other hand, is a newer language that promises to make writing web applications more concise and clear.
While both languages have advantages, choosing the right one for the project is essential.
Choosing between JavaScript and TypeScript can be a complicated decision because there are many considerations, including readability, support for other JavaScript libraries, and static or dynamic typing.
This article will examine some of the main differences between these two programming languages.
Also, we’ll cover the pros and cons of each and give you the best use cases for each.
Need of JavaScript vs Typescript
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JavaScript language was introduced as a client-side programming language.
But with the usage of JavaScript for web development, developers learned that it could also be considered a server-side programming language.
However, the JavaScript code became quite complex and heavy, too.
Therefore, JavaScript could not be able to stand up to the expectations of an object-oriented programming language.
As a result, JavaScript will never prosper as a server-side technology in the industry. This is why the TypeScript language was born to bridge this gap.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Learning Path
Compared to JavaScript, dynamically-typed TypeScript is a bit trickier to learn.
Fortunately, TypeScript has impressive features to help developers get their code up and running.
It’s also a familiar language and not completely unknown.
Microsoft first developed it as a superset of JavaScript in 2012.
TypeScript is a strongly typed object-oriented language that adds features to JavaScript.
You need both basic knowledge of JavaScript as well as OOP concept to learn TypeScript
It supports static typing and has an impressive number of other features.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Developer Community
TypeScript is less popular than JavaScript, and its developer community is smaller.
You’ll need to find a suitable compiler to write TypeScript code.
Compared to JavaScript, TypeScript is not as compatible with most browsers, so you’ll have to be careful with how you write your code.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Performance
Fortunately, TypeScript is more secure, and its code is less likely to lead to runtime errors.
In comparison to JavaScript, TypeScript is also more efficient.
Besides, TypeScript has an impressive number of other features to help developers get their code up and working.
Its compiler alerts you to potential type-related mistakes, and it’s smart enough to automatically calculate the type of a variable.
Another impressive feature is that TypeScript can handle complex data structures. Its ESlint compiler has helped reduce developers’ debugging time by a significant amount.
TypeScript is not a replacement for JavaScript but an excellent companion. TypeScript is a good choice for a small team or medium-sized project.
It’s also a good choice for developers who are used to C# programming.
The best thing about TypeScript is that it can eliminate the most common programming errors.
It helps developers catch bugs before the runtime.
Aside from naming the type, it also includes a catch-all function for any data. It can be used for complex data structures, and it can also be used for other purposes.
TypeScript isn’t the best language around. But if you’re looking for a new language to learn, it’s a good choice.
And if you’re working on a larger team, TypeScript may make the job easier.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Syntax
TypeScript offers variable declaration, functional paradigm, and type system, which JavaScript doesn’t offer.
It’s similar to JScript and .Net in terms of syntax, with support for ECMAScript 2015 Standard features including modules, an arrow function syntax, and classes.
JavaScript follows the ECMAScript definition as well. However, it’s not a typed language like TypeScript.
It uses many structured programming terminologies from C, like if statements, switch statements, do-while loops, and many more. It offers event-driven style, functional and imperative programming.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Tools and Frameworks
Since Microsoft backs TypeScript, it has many leading frameworks and editors. Through tight integration with editors, it provides error handling during compilation to avoid errors at runtime.
On the flip side, there are many JavaScript frameworks available in the market for web development project requirements.
It’s a huge ecosystem that’s quite popular among programmers. You can quickly find developers who specialize in ReactJS, VueJS, Angular, and other frameworks.
JavaScript vs TypeScript: Readability
Compared to JavaScript, TypeScript is a typed language. This means it allows you to specify the types of your variables and parameters.
In addition, you can also define types of expressions, such as functions. This makes it easier to read and write code.
JavaScript is a scripting language that has been popular for many years.
It is used for interactive web pages and mobile application development.
It is a structured programming language that allows users to debug code directly in the browser. It is also used for testing-driven development environments.
JavaScript is not only easy to learn, but it is also very flexible. It supports both functional and imperative programming styles. It also supports event handling and animations.
It is used in conjunction with CSS and HTML. It is also used in behavior-driven development environments.
Ways to Migrate from JavaScript to TypeScript
Whether you are migrating your JavaScript codebase to TypeScript or just starting a new project with statically typed JavaScript code, there are a few things you need to know.
Traditionally, JavaScript used prototype-based inheritance. This meant that JavaScript was not a programming language that was designed for object-oriented programming.
Using prototype-based inheritance in JavaScript meant that your code relied on functions instead of classes.
This meant that your code was vulnerable to several errors.
Microsoft developed TypeScript to solve this problem.
In TypeScript, you can specify which data types your variables hold.
This can help you avoid making mistakes in your JavaScript code.
In addition, TypeScript uses a loosely-coupled syntax, which can make debugging easier.
Also, TypeScript supports type inference, which means that you can call a TypeScript-generated JavaScript class from another JavaScript.
TypeScript also supports classes and modules. TypeScript also allows you to implement interfaces.
However, it is essential to remember that TypeScript is not a stand-alone language.
TypeScript is a JavaScript superset that includes additional features to simplify your development. These include type annotations and static type checking.
Benefits of Using them Together
Using TypeScript and JavaScript together allows you to implement inheritance and access control.
This can save you time in the long run. In addition, TypeScript is more compatible with refactoring tools.
In TypeScript, there is no need to make the same types over and over again.
Instead, you can add a new type to your code without breaking it.
This makes it easier to share code. It also makes your code easier to read for robots and human readers.
It is important to note that you can still use dynamic typing with TypeScript.
However, you may have a more challenging time maintaining your code.
You may also have to change your testing plan to accommodate static-type checks.
In fact, in systems that successfully pass tests, static type checks have been found to find an extra 15% of bugs.
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TypeScript Support other JavaScript libraries
Using a JavaScript library is like cooking up some pasta. It saves you from having to write your code and improves your webpage’s performance. The JavaScript library of choice is jQuery.
The jQuery library has a fantastic community. The library is also continuously improved.
jQuery has an impressive library of features and a comprehensive documentation suite.
The basic principle of the TypeScript language: any code in JavaScript is compatible with TypeScript, i.e. in programs in TypeScript you can use standard JavaScript libraries and previously created developments.
It also helps to keep the code clean and easy to read by allowing developers to concentrate on their strengths while minimizing the risk of errors.
This is especially important for JS developers, who are prone to forgetting details and making mistakes.
Advantages of TypeScript over JavaScript
TypeScript is a typed programming language that has many benefits over JavaScript.
It is beneficial for developers working with large code bases.
It also has advanced features to help improve the quality and readability of your code.
You can also use TypeScript in conjunction with JavaScript libraries to streamline your development process.
TypeScript is designed to reduce technical debt and to make your code easier to read.
It also includes additional benefits from concepts such as Intellisense and types annotations.
This also makes it easier to integrate with popular IDEs. It is also useful when working with a distributed team.
However, TypeScript can be confusing to learn. It is also only sometimes the best choice for small projects.
Moreover, it can be helpful for professional web apps that are large enough to justify their use.
TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, meaning it offers many extra features and capabilities. It also offers static type checking.
This type of checking can be configured in several ways. If your app is more significant than 100 lines of code, it may be worth using TypeScript.
TypeScript also offers type annotations, which can improve the readability of your code.
It has several type-checking options as well, including runtime type-checking.
It also has additional features like type annotations, modules, and classes.
Conclusion
JavaScript is a versatile language that is good for web development and RPC.
TypeScript, on the other hand, is more suited for creating more rigid codebases and was created as an attempt to improve the readability of code.
However, JavaScript has proven to be a powerful language that can handle complex projects.
Additionally, JavaScript is more efficient and versatile compared to TypeScript.
JavaScript is easy to learn and use, while TypeScript is more complex but has greater potential for efficiency.
In a nutshell, TypeScript is an object-oriented programming language, whereas JavaScript is a scripting language.
Thus, TypeScript offers interfaces and modules through ES6 features; on the other hand, JavaScript doesn’t offer such features.