JavaScript vs TypeScript: Front-end Development Language
JavaScript is a scripting language that helps you create interactive web pages while TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript. So do their functionalities differ? Which one should you choose?
To understand it in a better way, let’s start with classifying what are these scripting languages about and are these replaceable or are their codes inter-changeable? Both TypeScript and JavaScript share a near-similar syntax. The point that we can note straightaway is that TypeScript is recommended for large projects while JavaScript simply supports any project (majorly involved in UI development).
Why We Have Two Near-Similar Scripting Languages?
JavaScript was initially launched considering the need to have client-side scripting. But then people started using it as a server-side programming language as well. But it wasn’t able to fulfil the requirement of coding at enterprise-level projects which gave rise to TypeScript. JavaScript can handle small-medium size applications only.
About TypeScript
TypeScript is an open-source, object-oriented programming language. It is not capable of directly running on the browser. The TypeScript code is required to be converted in a JavaScript file first before execution on the browser. The source file having a “.ts” extension can be run on any devices.
- It makes the code reusable, simple, clean, and consistent
- TypeScript is known as a syntactic superset of JavaScript
- TypeScript compiles to JavaScript (EcmaScript 3+)
- It offers optional type-checking at compile time.
- TypeScript also comes with some annotations that provide optional, static type checking at compile time.
- The browsers compile the TypeScript code into plain JavaScript Code to understand it.
- Javascript code can be trans-piled; the code written in JavaScript with .js extension can be converted into TypeScript by giving it a new extension .ts
- TypeScript code is capable of running on any browsers, devices.
- TypeScript can make use of existing JavaScript libraries.
- Typescript can point out the compilation errors at the time of development only.
- TypeScript points out compilation errors at the time of development which enables fewer chances of getting errors during the runtime.
- Typescript supports static typing which allows checking for errors during compile time, leaving minimal or zero chances of errors at runtime.
- TypeScript = JavaScript + additional features
- Typescript can compile the .ts files into ES3, ES4, ES5 etc.
- Typescript often takes longer than JavaScript to compile any code.
- Plus, TypeScript is Portable, makes use of Transpiler for checking errors, supports Static Type Checking and can manage DOM.
How to Use TypeScript?
Any file written in a text editor with “.ts” extension becomes a TypeScript file which has to be converted into a JavaScript file and included in the HTML and run on any browser.
About JavaScript
JavaScript is an all-time favourite programming language for front-end development. It is favoured due to an easy learning curve, easily understandable syntax, huge community support, cross-platform adaptability and a wide number of JavaScript Frameworks that help reduce the lines of code, fastens the development process, increases the efficiency and helps to adopt the basics of the application process without any changes. E.g: Angular, React, Vue.JS, Ember.JS, Meteor, Mithril, Node.js, Polymer, Aurelia and Backbone.js.
- JavaScript is an open-source, interpreted, a programming language for scripting across client browsers and servers.
- The things that we code in JavaScript are called scripts.
- These scripts are used to execute HTML pages during run time.
- These scripts however do not require any extra preparation to compile and run.
- It is better known for communication across client browsers and servers
- To improve user interface and user experience
- To speed up page reloading
- It can create scripts to greet users with displaying time and date upon startup
How to Use Javascript (Js)?
Developers can either embed the JavaScript code into the HTML code or create a separate JavaScript file that can be called from within a scripting element (enclosed by script tags)
Key Differences Between JavaScript and TypeScript
| Comparison | JavaScript | TypeScript |
|---|---|---|
| Type | It is a high-level, open-source interpreted programming language. | It is a powerful open-source, object-oriented compile language, that is originated from javascript. |
| Creators | Brendan Eich at Netscape Communications Corpora, Mozilla Foundation, ECMA International | Anders Hejlsberg at Microsoft |
| Consistency | It is heavier and complex in comparison to TypeScript | It is a lightweight interpreted coding language |
| Server-Side/ Client-Side Scripting | Both client as well as server-side | Employed only at client-side browser |
| File Extension | .js | .ts, .tsx |
| Syntax | Script tag encloses all sentences. A request is sent to the browser to execute the text that comes in between these tags like a script. <script>//javascript code</script> | Typescript programs comprise Functions, Modules, Expressions, Statements, Variables and Comments. |
| Annotations | These are not required for coding in JavaScript | These are must-have in TypeScript |
| Time for Coding | It’s faster | It’s slower |
| Interface | Not available | Available |
| Compilation | Not required | Required |
| Programming Paradigm | It is a scripting language | It is an object-oriented programming language |
| Type System | Suitable for smaller projects. | Suitable for larger projects |
| Support for Modules | JS does not support any modules | Has support for modules |
| Interface | JavaScript does not have an Interface | TypeScript has Interface |
| Parameter | Does not support any parameter function | Supports optional parameter function |
| Types and Interfaces | JS does not support these | To describe data usage |
| Prototyping | JavaScript doesn’t support this feature | Typescript supports this |
What Scripting Language JavaScript vs TypeScript to Choose?
Both scripting languages come along with their features and limitations. While JavaScript is a lightweight, dynamic scripting language to improve the overall efficiency of HTML web pages, adding a dash of dynamism to static web pages. But the developers cannot rely upon it to accomplish the overall development. JS goes well for the designing part and comes inside a web browser’s context.
TypeScript on the other hand is to be compiled to JavaScript and then can be employed for any JS code. This makes it more popular. It is improving with every new release. It provides optional static typing, classes and interfaces. So it is suitable to adopt TypeScript for a large JavaScript project thus bringing in some robust software and easily deployable application. So, TypeScript has the potential of becoming the choice of developers here.
If you believe in energy exchanges, do let us know your idea and let us suggest potential solutions with cost-effectiveness, a higher level of efficiency and shorter time to market. Fill the form and let our experts sway you across!
