Hey folks, I need some advice. Our company uses Node.js for backend and React for frontend, all in plain JavaScript. We’re expanding quickly and dealing with more data and requests. The team wants to switch to TypeScript to catch errors early and make debugging easier.
We often face production issues that affect clients, like data not saving properly. Many of these are typing errors or unexpected undefined variables. TypeScript could help, but our codebase is huge. It’ll take time to switch everything.
We could start with new projects, but eventually, we want everything in TypeScript. We’re thinking long-term about code quality. Is it really worth the effort? I know adding JSDoc is simpler, but is TypeScript actually better?
What’s your take on this? Has anyone gone through a similar transition? Any pros and cons we should consider? Thanks for your input!
Having gone through a similar transition, I can say it’s definitely worth considering TypeScript. The initial investment in time and effort pays off in the long run. We started by gradually introducing TypeScript in new modules and refactoring critical parts of our existing codebase. This approach allowed us to maintain productivity while improving code quality.
The biggest benefits we’ve seen are improved developer productivity, easier refactoring, and fewer runtime errors. The static typing catches many issues before they hit production, which has significantly reduced our debugging time.
However, be prepared for a learning curve. Some developers might resist the change initially. Also, you’ll need to adjust your build process and possibly update some third-party libraries.
My advice would be to start small, perhaps with a pilot project, and gradually expand. This way, you can assess the impact and benefits for your specific use case before committing to a full transition.
As someone who’s been through this transition, I can tell you it’s a game-changer. We were in a similar boat - growing fast, lots of JavaScript, and tons of runtime errors. Making the switch to TypeScript wasn’t easy, but it was absolutely worth it.
We started by converting our core modules first. It was tough going at first, but once we got the hang of it, things moved quicker. The immediate benefit was catching so many silly mistakes before they hit production. Our deploy-rollback cycle practically disappeared overnight.
One unexpected bonus was how much easier it became to onboard new devs. The self-documenting nature of TypeScript meant newbies could understand our codebase way faster.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all roses. The learning curve can be steep, especially for devs who are used to JavaScript’s flexibility. And you’ll probably hit some snags with third-party libraries that don’t play nice with TypeScript.
But overall? I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The improved code quality and reduced bugs have more than made up for the initial pain. Just take it step by step, and you’ll get there.