In this software development era, JavaScript can be used to develop almost any type of application. However, JavaScript’s dynamically typed nature could cause concern to most large enterprise companies, mainly due to its loose type-checking feature. In this article, you’ll see a guide for getting started with & using TypeScript JavaScript for WordPress.
The good news is that there’s no need to wait for a static system to be introduced into JavaScript. You may consider using TypeScript instead.
JavaScript isn’t aware of a variable’s data type until it is instantiated at runtime. Bugs are often overlooked because developers who write large software programs tend to reassign an earlier declared variable to a different type of value without issue or warning.
In this post, you’ll learn about this great alternative, including its definition and the basics you need to know when getting started with TypeScript for WordPress.
What’s TypeScript?
TypeScript is JavaScript’s typed superset. It compiles to plain JavaScript. If JavaScript were CSS, TypeScript would be SCSS. “Superset” in this context, therefore, means TypeScript as a language containing all of JavaScript’s different features and functionality, as well as some more.
When you write any valid JavaScript code, it’s also a valid TypeScript code. TypeScript offers the latest features, including compiling to plain JavaScript and static typing. All browsers support it. TypeScript does a pretty excellent job of solving the problem or making JavaScript scalable, which is what it’s aimed at.
TypeScript gives developers more control of their codebase through its interface, classes, and type annotation. It basically spares developers from having to manually fix annoying console bugs.
Advantages Of Using TypeScript
Here are a few of the advantages of using TypeScript:
Easier Refactoring
You’re wary of modifying things despite wanting to refactor quite a lot because they will touch many other files and code. This will not be a problem anymore when you use TypeScript because you can already refactor them by just clicking the ‘Rename symbol’ command of your Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
With JavaScript and other dynamically typed languages, the only way to refactor multiple files simultaneously is through the ‘search and replace’ function. This is the traditional way, using regular expressions. In this article, you’ll see a guide for getting started with & using TypeScript JavaScript for WordPress to develop any type of application.
However, the ‘search and replace’ function is no longer available in TypeScript, a statistically typed language. Using the Rename symbol’ and’ find all occurrences’ IDE commands, you can see all occurrences within the app of a given property, class, or function of an object interface.
TypeScript won’t help you find all of the refactored bits’ instances. It will also help you rename them. When any mismatches occur in your code after refactoring, you’ll have a compile error. Keep reading our guide for using TypeScript in WordPress.
Fewer Bugs
While it’s impossible to eliminate all bugs in a code, you can reduce them with TypeScript. If the variable type changes, errors are thrown after checking for types at compile-time.
It becomes much easier for developers to manage their code with types since they can find the obvious yet frequent errors.
When To Use TypeScript For WordPress?
The following cases make using TypeScript a good idea:
- Suppose you’re looking to develop a web application or build a website and maintain it over a long period. That’s because it fosters self-documenting code; it helps other developers who join your codebase understand your code easily.
- Also, consider writing in it if you’re looking to create a library. Through TypeScript’s help, developers who use your library will get suggestions from code editors for the appropriate types.
How To Install TypeScript For WordPress
You must install it before you can start writing excellent TypeScript code. The Node package manager helps you install TypeScript. If you don’t have it installed yet, you’ll have to install the Node package manager first.
You can install TypeScript by starting the terminal and running the following command: npm install -g typescript.
In your terminal, run tsc-v to check the version after the installation. You’ll see the script’s version number in the terminal if everything is installed correctly.
IDEs And Text Editors That Support TypeScript For WordPress
The first IDE with TypeScript support was Visual Studio. Well, it shouldn’t come as a surprise since Microsoft created TypeScript.
Once it started gaining popularity, more and more IDEs and editors added support for it through plugins or out-of-the-box. Editors with the built-in backing include Visual Studio Code, a lightweight and open-source editor created by Microsoft. For out-of-the-box support, you can check out WebStorm.
You can also use plugins, which provide various features, like syntax highlighting, for ease of development.
Conclusion
This article intends to give developers a brief overview, including its different features and how to install it. Suggestions on IDEs and text editors to use for development were also provided. Of course, the advantages of using the language were we need it. Hopefully, there is enough to get developers who know JavaScript to utilize the language to improve their reactions to the WordPress codebase’s stability.
It’s essential to note that using TypeScript has disadvantages. One prominent disadvantage is the complicated typing system. Finally, you must know when’s the best time to use the language, especially when using it for WordPress.
