I don't like TypeScript at all. I used to write c# and javascript all day. Every time I had to write javascript, it was much more enjoyable than writing the c#. I would often have to create classes purely because the language required them. All of these classes all over the place with no methods in them at all. A whole bunch of typing all over the place that I could tell I was never even mentally parsing, but still having to type and see on the screen.
Then I started working on my own and decided to use Node a lot in the situations where I would have to use c# at my previous job. There were no more bugs, no problems with refactoring, and it was much more enjoyable than writing c#.
Now this TypeScript is infecting javascript, and all the jobs and so on require "typescript" instead of javascript. It puts all the things I didn't like about c# back into javascript. People will make all kinds of ridiculous claims that it is irresponsible not to use TypeScript, and that it improves productivity and so on. None of these claims are true and don't get to the real reason that TypeScript exists.
Most well-structured programs aren't one giant function that is hard to refactor. They are usually a series of isolated, small functions. There is even a trend towards "microservices" and function as a service and so on. These are things that reduce the claimed reasons for TypeScript, rather than increase it. Many times I see the reason for using TypeScript being "it is good for large teams". Yet still, I see it used in teams of 3 people all the time.
The real reason TypeScript is used is because there are a very large number of programmers now, which means the quality of the average programmers is much lower than it has ever been. Many people who program often just copy and paste code from stack overflow. Many of these people were the same people who looked in fear at JavaScript, and couldn't even understand it because it wasn't the one language that they knew. TypeScript gives these people more safety, feedback, and familiarity to be able to do their job.
That is fine, but lets not pretend it is anything else.
Then I started working on my own and decided to use Node a lot in the situations where I would have to use c# at my previous job. There were no more bugs, no problems with refactoring, and it was much more enjoyable than writing c#.
Now this TypeScript is infecting javascript, and all the jobs and so on require "typescript" instead of javascript. It puts all the things I didn't like about c# back into javascript. People will make all kinds of ridiculous claims that it is irresponsible not to use TypeScript, and that it improves productivity and so on. None of these claims are true and don't get to the real reason that TypeScript exists.
Most well-structured programs aren't one giant function that is hard to refactor. They are usually a series of isolated, small functions. There is even a trend towards "microservices" and function as a service and so on. These are things that reduce the claimed reasons for TypeScript, rather than increase it. Many times I see the reason for using TypeScript being "it is good for large teams". Yet still, I see it used in teams of 3 people all the time.
The real reason TypeScript is used is because there are a very large number of programmers now, which means the quality of the average programmers is much lower than it has ever been. Many people who program often just copy and paste code from stack overflow. Many of these people were the same people who looked in fear at JavaScript, and couldn't even understand it because it wasn't the one language that they knew. TypeScript gives these people more safety, feedback, and familiarity to be able to do their job.
That is fine, but lets not pretend it is anything else.