TypeScript in 2023: Embracing the Future with Three Exciting Updates Share: RabIT Solutions Date Published 6 December 2023 Categories Blog, Guide, News Reading Time 4-Minute Read Following the three updates in 2023 by Microsoft, we’re going to explore the most significant changes and the future prospects of the TypeScript language. What Is TypeScript, and How Is it Different from JavaScript? TypeScript is an open-source programming language built on JavaScript, released by Microsoft in 2012. They initiated its development while working on Bing Maps and the Office programs, as they encountered difficulties with JavaScript and needed a tool that was more suitable for building applications of such a scale. TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, meaning it can be executed wherever JavaScript runs. While any valid JavaScript code is also correct in TypeScript, TypeScript adds extra features vital for enterprise-level development and is best suited for object-oriented programming. TypeScript’s features, such as interfaces and type annotations are particularly beneficial for developing, structuring, and maintaining large-scale, complex software applications. What’s New in TypeScript in 2023? TypeScript 5.0 The goal of this update was to accelerate coding processes and simplify development. This was achieved by refining code and data structures, extending algorithms, and streamlining import-export operations. The entire codebase underwent restructuring to enable the use of ECMAScript modules. The primary objective was to implement features aimed at reducing package size and enhancing overall performance. One of the key new features is Decorators, which allows for the customization of classes and class members in a reusable manner, simplifying debugging processes and enabling developers to write more concise code. Furthermore, TypeScript 5.0 includes extended error detection and alert functions, which significantly reduce coding mistakes. TypeScript 5.1 By introducing easier implicit returns and allowing completely unrelated types for ‘get’ and ‘set’ accessor properties, the 5.1 update enables developers to work more efficiently and makes code refactoring processes easier. Another optimization in TypeScript 5.1 involves avoiding type instantiation within object types that don’t contain references to outer type parameters. This reduces unnecessary computations and cuts down on type-checking time in the Material UI’s documentation directory by more than 50%. TypeScript 5.2 The newest update from August includes further enhancements related to ECMAScript modules, such as explicit resource management and object member completions. Previously, TypeScript would provide unrelated completion results when a comma was missing, but from now on, these commas will be automatically filled in by TypeScript. This update introduces three more important additions: the ability to copy array methods, support for using symbols as WeakMap and WeakSet keys, and clickable inlay hints that provide quick access to parameter definitions. Example for TypeScript Development – Caspar Cloud Caspar Cloud is a case management system built for organizations that are looking after the elderly, sick or other people who cannot take care of themselves. Caspar has a series of highly complex backend functions, including data analysis, statistical reports and automatic server configuration. Because the application was created to be able to store and manage the data of thousands of patients, it was clear that Caspar had to be built creating TypeScript. During the development process, TypeScript helped us detect many common errors during build time due to its embedded static analysis feature, making code refactoring much easier. If you are looking to build a large-scale application similar to Caspar, or if you would simply like to get more information on TypeScript development, don’t hesitate to contact us through our consultation form or check out our case studies on our website. Conclusion Over the last decade, TypeScript has emerged as a compelling choice for enterprise-level application development, effectively complementing the JavaScript language. TypeScript has rapidly gained popularity in the web development community, with support from major libraries and frameworks like Angular and React. There’s also a growing ecosystem of TypeScript-specific packages and resources. The new updates have included speed and performance enhancements, improving code quality and improving readability, reducing development time, and simplifying debugging processes. These updates underscore TypeScript’s unwavering dedication to enhancing developer productivity and elevating code quality.