TypeScript is a programming language designed to make JavaScript development easier and more scalable. Its popularity and use have grown in recent years, and it continues to gain momentum, now widely used by developers and companies across industries.
In this article, we’ll explore why TypeScript is a good foundational programming language to learn as you launch your new career as a software engineer.
7 reasons to learn TypeScript
- TypeScript helps catch errors before they happen. Since it’s a strongly typed language, developers can catch errors at compile time rather than at runtime, meaning TypeScript can detect potential bugs and errors before the code is executed. As a result, the development process becomes less time-consuming, plus you’ll learn how to write cleaner, more efficient code.
- This programming language is widely used in the industry. Many companies are using TypeScript in their web development projects. The popularity of the language is growing, and it’s becoming an essential skill for software engineers. Because of this, by learning TypeScript, you can increase your job opportunities.
- TypeScript has a low learning curve. Since it’s a superset of JavaScript, developers who are already familiar with JavaScript can easily learn TypeScript. In our beginner part-time program, we teach both languages, so you’re well-equipped with the additional TypeScript features that are not available in JavaScript, such as interfaces, classes, and enums – all of which can help developers write more structured and organized code.
- It offers great tooling support. Many integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Visual Studio Code, WebStorm, and Atom provide support for TypeScript. TypeScript offers a better developer experience, as it provides better code completion, code refactoring, and error detection.
- This language is constantly evolving. Microsoft has a dedicated team of developers who are working to improve the language. It’s also open source, which means that the community can contribute to the language’s development. This ensures that the language remains up-to-date with the latest web development trends and technologies.
- TypeScript is a language that’s well-suited for large-scale projects, which require heightened structure and organization. As projects grow in size, it becomes more difficult to keep track of everything. TypeScript makes it easier to manage complex codebases by providing features such as type annotations, interfaces, and modules. These features make it easier to understand how different parts of the code work together, making it easier to maintain the code over time.
- TypeScript is great for collaboration. When working on a project with multiple people, it can be difficult to ensure that everyone is on the same page. TypeScript makes it easier to collaborate by providing clear interfaces and types, which makes it easier to communicate between team members. This can lead to faster development times and better-quality code.