TypeScript: should I stay or should I go

The many benefits of adopting TypeScript and why you should be embracing it in case you haven’t already

Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double (….)

(The Clash — 1980's)

Whether you are starting a new project or working on an existing code base there is always the option of writing or maintaining it in pure JavaScript. JavaScript is well known, widely adopted and has a large community, being rated as the most commonly used programming language by Stack Overflow for 9 years in a row since 2012. It is the de-facto language of the web. With that information in mind, you may wonder, if that is so why bother with TypeScript? However, before answering this question, let’s understand what TypeScript is.

What TypeScript is (and what it is not)

TypeScript is a type system that can be optionally added to JavaScript code in order to support developers in catching errors and bugs early, even before the code is compiled and executed. In a nutshell, it works as a static type checker for JavaScript programs. Therefore, it is only “active” during development, operating as a “tool that runs before your code runs (static)” and ensuring that…