The Great Debate: JavaScript vs TypeScript
A New Era of Static Typing
The age-old debate between using JavaScript or TypeScript for project development has taken an exciting turn. With the introduction of JSDoc annotations, JavaScript codebases can now be statically type-checked, giving developers a new dynamic to consider.
The Power of JSDoc
JSDoc, a markup language dating back to 1999, allows programmers to add documentation describing their code’s application programming interface. The TypeScript team has taken JSDoc support to the next level, enabling developers to use a variant of JSDoc annotations to provide type information in JavaScript files.
Type-Enhanced JavaScript
Take, for example, a simple TypeScript statement. With JSDoc annotations, this can be transformed into an equivalent JavaScript statement, allowing the TypeScript compiler to understand and type-check the code.
Why Choose JSDoc JavaScript?
So, why would you opt for JSDoc JavaScript over TypeScript? Perhaps you’re working on simple node scripts and want a touch of type safety without fully committing to static typing. Or maybe your team prefers not to have a compile step. The webpack team, for instance, chose JSDoc JavaScript to avoid compilation while still benefiting from static typing.
A Brief History of JSDoc and TypeScript
TypeScript has been quietly adding support for type checking JavaScript with JSDoc assistance for some time. Initial support arrived with the –checkJs compiler option in TypeScript 2.3. A community member, Mohsen Azimi, experimented with using this approach to type-check the webpack codebase, leading to significant improvements in JSDoc support.
The Benefits of JSDoc Type Checking
Today, JSDoc type checking with TypeScript is a powerful tool. While not quite on par with TypeScript, the gap in functionality is minimal. You can now build a JavaScript codebase with all the benefits of static typing.
To TypeScript or Not to TypeScript?
If you’re starting a new project, how do you choose between TypeScript and JavaScript with JSDoc? Unless you have a compelling reason to avoid a compilation step, TypeScript is likely the better choice. The tooling support for using TypeScript directly is better, and it requires fewer keystrokes to achieve the same level of type safety.
The Pit of Success
Ultimately, the choice between JavaScript and TypeScript comes down to falling into the “pit of success.” With TypeScript, you’re cutting with the grain of static typing, while with JavaScript, you’re working against it.
Conclusion
In the end, having static typing will likely benefit new projects. While I’m keen on JSDoc, my recommendation for a new project would be TypeScript. However, either choice is a solid one. The important thing is to choose a path that leads to better outcomes for your project.