TypeScript vs. JavaScript: Which One Should You Choose in 2022?

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Photo by Ivan Samkov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-using-a-laptop-5676664/

In 2012, Typescript debuted as a remedy for the issues that may arise when developing JavaScript. If we’re talking about huge projects, the complexity of the JS code architecture makes it challenging to support. In addition, it became even more challenging when programmers began using this language to code the backend. Server-side is inherently more complex than frontend, and when JS is used as its foundation, it becomes even more difficult to maintain.

Will Typescript eventually replace JavaScript? In order to determine the winner of the Typescript vs. JavaScript competition, it is first required to compare these two languages and identify their differences and shared characteristics.

What Is JavaScript?

In 1995, JavaScript first appeared in the software business. Let’s examine the stages it went through before dominating the programming language world. The Mosaic web browser was the first to provide a user interface that non-programmers could comprehend. It lacked dynamic components, though. As a result, its creators made the decision to establish the Netscape firm, which began developing the new technology needed to address this issue. JavaScript was thereby first made available to the public. Although JavaScript isn’t directly connected to the Java programming language, it’s widely believed that Netscape chose the name JavaScript as a marketing gimmick since Java was so widely used.

Chrome was developed a while later. All other browsers were required to implement the just-in-time compilation for JavaScript that it had implemented. JavaScript has since taken over as the main language used for web development. Since its first release, JavaScript has undergone various updates and adjustments, and numerous versions have been made available.

What Is TypeScript?

The description of TypeScript as a “superset of JavaScript” may be found on any Internet page, but what exactly is a superset, and what is TypeScript? In essence, it is a more expansive version of JavaScript; therefore, everything that is valid in JavaScript will also be valid in TypeScript, but not the other way around.

Although JS code will function in TypeScript, this does not guarantee that there won’t be any syntax mistakes. However, TypeScript wouldn’t be required at all. Its advantage in this scenario is that, unlike JavaScript, it allows for the viewing of all these mistakes before compilation.

In contrast to JS, TS does not have optional static typing, which makes it ideal for complex applications. Additionally, several OOP features like classes, interfaces, and inheritance might not function properly with JS. Therefore, the primary distinction between TypeScript and JavaScript is the breadth of TS. In light of this, we may state that TypeScript is simply JavaScript, plus the option of static typing and capabilities for object-oriented programming.

Contrary to its rival, JS, TypeScript’s described features make it suitable for producing understandable code for both front-end in web applications and server-side. TS seeks to make the code obvious primarily for the interpreter, unlike other JS supersets like CoffeeScript that make the script easier for users to grasp.

The fact that TypeScript largely adheres to JS language norms is one of the most persuasive arguments for using it. Given that many programmers are already familiar with JS, studying it has several benefits for those who are considering it. The learning curve is also fairly gentle, making the switch from JavaScript very easy. Therefore, it is meaningless to ask “What is more worthwhile to learn: TypeScript or JavaScript?” when understanding one language almost guarantees understanding the other.

The fact that TypeScript largely adheres to JS language norms is one of the most persuasive arguments for using it. Given that many programmers are already familiar with JS, studying it has several benefits for those who are considering it. The learning curve is also fairly gentle, making the switch from JavaScript very easy. Therefore, it is meaningless to ask, “What is more worthwhile to learn: TypeScript or JavaScript?” when understanding one language almost guarantees to understand the other.