canadaduane / template-no-compile-typescript

A template for projects that need typescript but without compile step; uses types via jsdoc

template-no-compile-typescript

This serves as an instructional starting point for the use of typescript type checking within a regular javascript nodejs project. No compile step is needed, because the project uses JSDoc comments.

Benefits

• Typescript type checking as you code (thanks to language servers like those in VSCode)
• Modules just work
• No source code maps
• Debugging just works (e.g. breakpoints)
• No compile step
• No watchers
• Everything is instantaneously ready (faster than vite!)
• Compatible with client-side browser javascript engines (see importmaps)

Considerations

1. To be useful, this depends heavily on a language server in your code editor to show type errors as you go.
2. There is some minimal setup required (see below). Using this template avoids the setup.

Ingredients

The necessary ingredients within this project are as follows:

1. tsconfig.json: the allowJs, checkJs, and strict options set to true.
2. package.json: the type set to module allows nodejs to use ES modules (import/export instead of require).
3. JSDoc comments with types. See code for examples.