TypeScript Undermines the Value of the JavaScript Ecosystem and Static Typing

The way TypeScript adds incidental complexity to using libraries undermines the two most important values of using TypeScript and JavaScript. It makes it harder to use a non-typed library which adds friction to using the wealth of libraries available in the JavaScript ecosystem. It also makes the type system less valuable when you need to hack around poorly typed libraries or incorrect type definitions by casting to the any type.

  • The Npm Package Ecosystem Is a Chevette

    My dad used to tell me about an old car he used to have—the Chevrolet Chevette. It was an inexpensive compact car with rear-wheel drive from the late 70s. As he described it, “all the thrills of high-speed driving at low speeds.”