Getting Started with TypeScript for WordPress

One can use JavaScript in developing almost any type of application in this software development era. 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 learn how to get started with TypeScript 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 that variable gets instantiated at runtime. Bugs are often overlooked because developers who are writing 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—the definition and basic things 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 contains all JavaScript’s different features and functionality and then some more.

When you write any valid JavaScript code, it’s also a valid TypeScript code. The latest features that compile to plain JavaScript and the use of static typing are available with TypeScript too. All browsers support them. TypeScript does a pretty excellent job in solving the problem or making JavaScript scalable, which is what it’s actually aimed at.

TypeScript gives developers more control of their codebase through its interface, classes, and type annotation. It basically spares developers from having to fix annoying console bugs manually.

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 of them because they will touch many other files and so much other code. It’s not going to 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).

The only way for you to perform the refactoring of multiple files simultaneously with JavaScript and other dynamically typed languages is through the ‘search and replace’ function. It’s the traditional way where you use regular expressions.

However, the ‘search and replace’ function isn’t anymore in TypeScript, a statistically typed language. You’ll be able to see all occurrences within the app of a given property, class, or function of an object interface using the ‘Rename symbol’ and ‘find all occurrences’ IDE commands.

TypeScript won’t only help you in finding all of the refactored bit’s instances. It will also help you in renaming it. When any type of mismatches occurs in your code after refactoring, you’ll be with a compile error.

• Fewer Bugs

While it’s impossible to eliminate all bugs in a code, you can reduce them with TypeScript. If the variable type changes throw errors after checking for types at compile-time.

It becomes a lot 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 fosters self-documenting code; it helps other developers who will join your codebase to understand your code easily.
• Also, consider writing in it if you’re looking to create a library. Developers who use your library will get suggestions from code editors for the appropriate types through TypeScript’s help.

How To Install TypeScript For WordPress

You need to install it first before you can start writing awesome TypeScript code. You can install TypeScript with the help of the Node package manager. You’ll have to install Node package manager first if you don’t have it installed yet, before installing it.

You can install TypeScript by starting the terminal and running the following command: npm install -g typescript.

In your terminal, run the tsc-v to check the version once the installation. You’ll see the version number of the Script in the terminal if everything was properly in.

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.

Through plugins or out-of-the-box, more and more IDEs and editors added support for it once it started gaining popularity. Editors with built-in support include Visual Studio Code, a lightweight and open-source editor created by Microsoft. For out-of-the-box support, you can check out WebStorm.

For ease of development, you can also use plugins. These plugins provide a variety of features like syntax highlighting.

Conclusion

This article intends to give developers a brief overview, including its different features and how to install it. Suggestions when it comes to 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 started utilizing the language to improve their reactions for the WordPress codebase’s stability.

It’s essential to note that the use of TypeScript isn’t without 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.