Learning TypeScript

I’ve been coding for over a decade. Most recently, iOS development for over 5 years. However, before that I did a ton of JavaScript. Even though I’ve been writing iOS code, I haven’t abandoned JavaScript. In fact, I even dived into some sever-side TypeScript and am ready to share how. (Special thanks goes to a mentee of mine, Laquisha. She inspired me to write this short blog post.)

What’s TypeScript, you ask? As stated on the official website:

TypeScript is a typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript.

typescriptlang.org

Good Resources For Learning TypeScript

For the most up-to-date information, you can’t go wrong by going straight to the official TypeScript website at typescriptlang.org. Warning: As of July 2019, there’s a Quick Start link that isn’t as quick as you might think. What if you just want a taste of the language?

For a quick taste of the language, click on Documentation then Tutorials. In there is a TypeScript in 5 minutes document. Give it a quick scan, install what you need, and try out the code in your favorite editor. A popular editor is the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE and they even provide their own TypeScript tutorial.

If you don’t want to commit to installing anything yet, you can use the popular online editor called CodePen at codepen.io. It supports TypeScript.

Hungry for a video instead of reading? There’s a 2018 video titled Learn TypeScript in 50 Minutes – Tutorial for Beginners. In true community fashion, it’s clear that people are eager to share the benefits of TypeScript.

TypeScript Communities

Communities for TypeScript are usually embedded inside of other larger communities. The best I could find are:

There you go! That’s what TypeScript is about, some resources, and communities to help you on your way. I hope you enjoy your journey into TypeScript!

November 2019 Update: Made changes in the TypeScript Communities section: Added TypeScript Community and Reactiflux. Deleted low activity IRC channel. Reformatted.