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Do you actually code in JavaScript? TypeScript addresses many of these issues and even statically checks for null variable usage which puts it ahead of some mai

Do you actually code in JavaScript? TypeScript addresses many of these issues and even statically checks for null variable usage which puts it ahead of some mainstream type systems in my opinion. I don't hear people making fun of Python for example and that has a huge following.

mod 9y ago
I mean, I do occasionally, but I think one big difference is that nobody is forced to use python. If they want a feature a normal language doesn't have, they can easily choose another. That's simply not true for JS.
- seanwilson 9y ago
  > I mean, I do occasionally, but I think one big difference is that nobody is forced to use python. If they want a feature a normal language doesn't have, they can easily choose another. Most domains heavily constrain your language choice though...C/C++ for games, Java/Kotlin for native Android, Swift for native iOS, PHP/Node/Python/Java/Ruby for server-side. The libraries you need constrain the choice even more. I'd love to use OCaml everywhere if I could but there's just no support for it. Anyway, my point is complaining that vanilla JavaScript is bad is a real disservice to modern JavaScript. What's so bad about it if you use TypeScript?
  - nojvek 9y ago
    I love JS and especially the variety of tools available. It's a double edged sword. But once you have your tools is great. I love webpack, vscode, Typescript, npm, preact and mocha. All great tools to solve a specific problem. So much better than a number of other language. Have you ever dealt with the horrors of package management with pip because it's inconsistent installs.
    - seanwilson 9y ago
      > So much better than a number of other language. Have you ever dealt with the horrors of package management with pip because it's inconsistent installs. Personally I'm surprised the null/undefined checking feature of TypeScript isn't raved about more which is missing from many typed languages.
  - marcosdumay 9y ago
    Most domains constrain your language choice into something that fits that domain. It is just mobile and web that constrain your choice into some arbitrary stuff that may or may not work well, and it's your problem to deal with the consequences.
  - umanwizard 9y ago
    You can use practically any language for games or web servers; they are certainly not constrained to the ones you listed. Game engines are usually written in C++ but the logic usually isn't. Even more importantly, the reason they're written in C++ is because it's usually the best tool for the job, NOT because nothing else is available. Nothing prevents you from writing a game engine in Rust or JavaScript or assembly language or whatever you want. And on servers, anything really does go.
eitland 9y ago
Another vote for typescript. ATM Angular 4 w/Typescript in VS Code is in my top 5 favourite language/dev environment combinations. It has working code completion and is fast. It lacks refactoring and doesn't help me with debugging though. (Java with any of the three big IDEs occupies three spots but I haven't made up my mind about exact order except first place. Also these are my favourites - they are not necessarily everyone elses favourites.)

mod 9y ago

I mean, I do occasionally, but I think one big difference is that nobody is forced to use python. If they want a feature a normal language doesn't have, they can easily choose another. That's simply not true for JS.

seanwilson 9y ago
> I mean, I do occasionally, but I think one big difference is that nobody is forced to use python. If they want a feature a normal language doesn't have, they can easily choose another. Most domains heavily constrain your language choice though...C/C++ for games, Java/Kotlin for native Android, Swift for native iOS, PHP/Node/Python/Java/Ruby for server-side. The libraries you need constrain the choice even more. I'd love to use OCaml everywhere if I could but there's just no support for it. Anyway, my point is complaining that vanilla JavaScript is bad is a real disservice to modern JavaScript. What's so bad about it if you use TypeScript?
- nojvek 9y ago
  I love JS and especially the variety of tools available. It's a double edged sword. But once you have your tools is great. I love webpack, vscode, Typescript, npm, preact and mocha. All great tools to solve a specific problem. So much better than a number of other language. Have you ever dealt with the horrors of package management with pip because it's inconsistent installs.
  - seanwilson 9y ago
    > So much better than a number of other language. Have you ever dealt with the horrors of package management with pip because it's inconsistent installs. Personally I'm surprised the null/undefined checking feature of TypeScript isn't raved about more which is missing from many typed languages.
- marcosdumay 9y ago
  Most domains constrain your language choice into something that fits that domain. It is just mobile and web that constrain your choice into some arbitrary stuff that may or may not work well, and it's your problem to deal with the consequences.
- umanwizard 9y ago
  You can use practically any language for games or web servers; they are certainly not constrained to the ones you listed. Game engines are usually written in C++ but the logic usually isn't. Even more importantly, the reason they're written in C++ is because it's usually the best tool for the job, NOT because nothing else is available. Nothing prevents you from writing a game engine in Rust or JavaScript or assembly language or whatever you want. And on servers, anything really does go.

eitland 9y ago

Another vote for typescript. ATM Angular 4 w/Typescript in VS Code is in my top 5 favourite language/dev environment combinations. It has working code completion and is fast. It lacks refactoring and doesn't help me with debugging though. (Java with any of the three big IDEs occupies three spots but I haven't made up my mind about exact order except first place. Also these are my favourites - they are not necessarily everyone elses favourites.)