I strongly disagree with the article. For me it just looks like a really biased article created just for the sake of having a conversation started (which, comparing the number of likes to the number of comments, it successfully achieves).
Just to enumarate some things that are orders of magnitude faster/better with TypeScript than with plain JS:
1) Refactor code across multiple files.
2) Autocomplete quality.
3) Catch A LOT of errors while you type. The ts strict mode can save you hours of pain and reduce the number "can not read property X of undefined" errors to almost none.
4) For the libraries that come with typings (most of them) you have a much higher chance of using them as intended and always passing the correct parameters. Even if you read the docs, without typings you might pass the parameters in the wrong order, or forget to wrap a variable in an Array.
5) Writing more robust OOP code. Try extending classes, implementing interfaces, having virtual methods and other useful OOP practices in plain JS. Your code will crash a lot at runtime. Yes, you can add checks for abstract classes and implement your own virtual functions, but that doesn't really save time over TypeScript, does it?
It's just like saying you shouldn't use a linter, as it's your job as a programmer to write readable code, research and respect all good practices, while also stating that trying to use any external help to making that happen is bad.
Yes, TypeScript does slow you down if you don't know how to use it and it takes time to learn it, but so does every new language. Once you learn it, it will actually save you time in the long run, not waste time as mentioned in the article.
Saying that typos and other human errors "can generally be caught by an experienced programmer anyways." is like saying a professional athlete never makes mistakes. Yes, it makes them less often, but no human is perfect.
With regard to more complicated issues (e.g. race conditions, memory leaks, etc.), TypeScript is completely useless.
No one advertised TypeScript as being a solution to those problems. For it's the same as bashing CSS that it does not help with fixing HTML DOM update performance issues.
The article also mentions that TypeScript is pretty useless for a senior developer as they can write good code anyway and notice all errors while typing, but I have a strong feeling that the more senior a dev is, the more likely it is that he actually uses TypeScript.
I do think, and if I remember correctly it's also mentioned in the article, that the author never used TypeScript in a medium/large multi-person project, because, once you do, you realize how often you get to think: "wow, if we weren't using TypeScript, fixing those issues would have taken so much time".
this is exactly my opinion! I just wanted to reply to whole article with simple question: is linter also waste of time? but you also covered main points that I strongly agree with.
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I strongly disagree with the article. For me it just looks like a really biased article created just for the sake of having a conversation started (which, comparing the number of likes to the number of comments, it successfully achieves).
Just to enumarate some things that are orders of magnitude faster/better with TypeScript than with plain JS:
1) Refactor code across multiple files.
2) Autocomplete quality.
3) Catch A LOT of errors while you type. The ts strict mode can save you hours of pain and reduce the number "can not read property X of undefined" errors to almost none.
4) For the libraries that come with typings (most of them) you have a much higher chance of using them as intended and always passing the correct parameters. Even if you read the docs, without typings you might pass the parameters in the wrong order, or forget to wrap a variable in an Array.
5) Writing more robust OOP code. Try extending classes, implementing interfaces, having virtual methods and other useful OOP practices in plain JS. Your code will crash a lot at runtime. Yes, you can add checks for abstract classes and implement your own virtual functions, but that doesn't really save time over TypeScript, does it?
It's just like saying you shouldn't use a linter, as it's your job as a programmer to write readable code, research and respect all good practices, while also stating that trying to use any external help to making that happen is bad.
Yes, TypeScript does slow you down if you don't know how to use it and it takes time to learn it, but so does every new language. Once you learn it, it will actually save you time in the long run, not waste time as mentioned in the article.
Saying that typos and other human errors "can generally be caught by an experienced programmer anyways." is like saying a professional athlete never makes mistakes. Yes, it makes them less often, but no human is perfect.
The article also mentions that TypeScript is pretty useless for a senior developer as they can write good code anyway and notice all errors while typing, but I have a strong feeling that the more senior a dev is, the more likely it is that he actually uses TypeScript.
I do think, and if I remember correctly it's also mentioned in the article, that the author never used TypeScript in a medium/large multi-person project, because, once you do, you realize how often you get to think: "wow, if we weren't using TypeScript, fixing those issues would have taken so much time".
this is exactly my opinion! I just wanted to reply to whole article with simple question: is linter also waste of time? but you also covered main points that I strongly agree with.