I’m working on a TypeScript project and something strange is going on. Every time I run npm install, I notice a new JavaScript file appearing in my project folder. I’m kinda confused because I didn’t explicitly tell it to do that.
My project setup includes:
A package.json file
TypeScript configuration in tsconfig.json
I’m wondering if anyone knows why this is happening. Is it normal for the TypeScript compiler to automatically generate JS files during the installation process? Or could there be something in my config files causing this?
If you’ve encountered this before or have any ideas, I’d really appreciate some help. Thanks!
This issue often stems from TypeScript’s automatic compilation behavior. Check your tsconfig.json file for the “compileOnSave” option - if it’s set to true, TypeScript will generate JavaScript files whenever you save a .ts file. Also, look for the “outDir” setting in tsconfig.json. If it’s not specified, compiled JS files will appear alongside your TypeScript files.
Another possibility is a build script running automatically. Review your package.json for any scripts that might trigger compilation. Some IDEs and build tools can also cause this behavior.
To pinpoint the cause, try running ‘npm install’ with the ‘–ignore-scripts’ flag. If the JS files don’t appear, it’s likely a script causing the issue. Otherwise, it’s probably your TypeScript configuration or IDE settings.
hey, i’ve seen this happen b4. it could be a pre/post-install script in ur package.json or maybe one of ur dependencies. check those first. also, some IDEs auto-compile TS files, so mayb look into ur editor settings. if ur still stuck, try runnin npm install with --verbose to see whats goin on under the hood
I’ve actually run into this issue before, and it can be pretty confusing at first. In my experience, this behavior is often caused by a postinstall script in your package.json or one of your dependencies. These scripts can run automatically after npm install and might trigger TypeScript compilation.
To troubleshoot, I’d suggest checking your package.json for any postinstall scripts. Also, take a look at your dependencies - sometimes they include their own postinstall scripts that could be causing this.
Another possibility is that your IDE or text editor is configured to automatically compile TypeScript files. I had this happen once with VS Code, and it took me a while to figure out.
If none of these seem to be the culprit, you might want to try running npm install with the --verbose flag. This will give you more detailed output and might help pinpoint what’s triggering the JS file creation.