How to Install TypeScript in Node JS

TypeScript is a strong, statically typed superset of JavaScript. It can help you write more robust and maintainable code. Installing TypeScript in Node JS brings numerous benefits, such as catching errors early and improving code quality. In addition, you can get modern JavaScript features while maintaining a clean and efficient codebase.

In this tutorial, we will discuss step-by-step instructions on how to install TypeScript in Node.js.

How to Install TypeScript in Node JS

Installing TypeScript in Node.js brings the benefits of static typing to your JavaScript code. To Install it in Node JS, first, make sure Node.js and npm are installed on your system, then follow the below steps:

Step 1: Install Node.js and npm

Before installing TypeScript, you need to have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your system. If you have not installed them, you can download and install the latest version from the official Node.js website:

You can check the Node.js version to verify the successful installation:

node -V

Similarly, you can run the following command to ensure the npm installation on your system:

npm -V

Step 2: Install TypeScript Globally

Once the Node.js is installed, you can install TypeScript globally on the operating system through the npm utility:

npm install -g typescript

This command installs the TypeScript compiler (tsc) globally, making it available from any directory on your system:

To verify the successful installation of TypeScript in Node.js, check out its version via the below command:

tsc -v

Step 3: Install TypeScript Locally

While having TypeScript installed globally is convenient, it’s also a good practice to install it locally within your project. This ensures that your project uses a consistent version of TypeScript:

npm install --save-dev typescript

The –save-dev flag adds TypeScript as a development dependency in your package.json file.

Step 4: Configure TypeScript

Next, you need to configure TypeScript by creating a tsconfig.json file in your project root. This file specifies the compiler options and settings for your TypeScript project:

tsc --init

It creates the tsconfig.json file with default settings:

Step 5: Write TypeScript Code

After that, create the src directory in your project root and add a TypeScript file, such as index.ts. The TypeScript code is in this file as below:

echo console.log("Hello, TypeScript!"); > index.ts

Step 6: Compile TypeScript Code

Now, compile the TypeScript code into JavaScript by running the TypeScript compiler:

tsc

This command compiles all .ts files in your project according to the settings in tsconfig.json.

Step 7: Run TypeScript Code

Finally, you can run your compiled TypeScript code using Node.js:

node index.ts

This command executes your code and sees the output in your terminal:

This is how you can install Typescript in Node.js.

Conclusion

Installing TypeScript in Node.js is a simple process that can significantly enhance your development experience. Moreover, it enhances your JavaScript development experience by introducing static typing, which improves error detection and code quality. Whether you’re building a small script or a large-scale application, TypeScript can help you catch errors early and improve code quality. In this article, we covered how to install TypeScript in Node.js, globally and locally (within your project).

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