Since September 2023, some major open-source projects have decided to phase out TypeScript, causing considerable concern among those who are currently studying it.
I was also curious about this, so I decided to summarize it.
First, for those unfamiliar with TypeScript, I need to explain it and its history.
1. JavaScript vs. TypeScript
Those of us who started with vanilla JavaScript and progressed to jQuery and React, like myself, have some reservations about TypeScript.
While there are things I don't want to learn anymore, JavaScript has a unique freedom to it.
Some people even call it a rootless language (or script, since it's not technically a language) because of its origins.
All languages have a crucial build step, but JavaScript, being a script, doesn't require building.
If you've encountered a build process, it's likely because of additions from various frameworks.
Therefore, error detection is completely absent. Scripts are inherently limited to simply executing and throwing an error if something goes wrong.
(That's the nature of scripts.)
However, it's like a street kid, rough around the edges, but somehow charming, wouldn't you say?
2. Is TypeScript widely used?
In the 2023 programming language rankings, it's ranked as the 5th most used language.
It's that popular among web developers.
That's why the TypeScript retirement issue is so shocking.
Comments0