Why isn't TypeScript written in C# ?

[Montago]

TypeScript is a hideous language compared to C#
and since TypeScript is compiled to Javascript anyway,
then why didn't you simply let people write in C# syntax ?

C# is easier to read and write, and well known by all the ASP.NET, WPF, Silverlight, WinRT (etc) people

[kitsonk]

The reasons why are covered in the Introduction of the Language Specification and the TypeScript Design Goals.

[DaSchTour]

And what's with the Java and JavaScript people? TypeScript should be written in Python! If you don't like TypeScript/JavaScript Syntax just pick one of these https://github.com/jashkenas/coffeescript/wiki/List-of-languages-that-compile-to-JS

[Montago]

The reason why i ask here on Microsoft/Typescript, is because Microsoft has given us this beautiful language called C# which is more or less Microsoft's answer to Java - Write in one language, run everywhere...

TypeScript is a mutant monster in that sense...

It's syntactic ugly, introduces errors for beginners, hard to learn etc..

Had MS used C# - then at some point, we could replace the horrible language, Javascript, which is full of so many minefields...

[kitsonk]

Those are all subjective arguments...

There isn't anything realistic or constructive with you thoughts. While you may not intend it, you are just trolling.

[304NotModified]

The best reasons IMO:

• Typescript is superset of Javascript (so every Javascript is valid Typescript, which isn't the case for C#)
• Typescript is Javascript future compatible, e.g. Use fancy Javascript features without the need of browser support :)

[factormystic]

"Why Isn't" questions are challenging because the it can be answered infinitely many ways. A better question to ask is, "what is the best language to write the typescript compiler in". Then "C#" is one possible answer. You seem to assume it is the best possible answer, as a given.

For the question of "what is the best language to write the typescript compiler in", that can be answered and has been answered. And not presupposing an answer, two logical possibilities are "typescript itself" and "javascript", since those are the two languages typescript pertains to.

And given that "C#" isn't a language typescript pertains to, I want to flip this around and ask, why is C# a relevant language when it comes to typescript?

[nippur72]

@Montago if you want to write in C# and transpile to JavaScript you can use one of the many compilers available (well, not so many). For example a good one is the Saltarelle Compiler; I've used it myself for years.

In my experience writing in C# for the web was too clumsy and verbose. You find yourself always fighting and struggling with types.

Over time I started to prefer TypeScript to C#, until one day I finally switched. It was a good choice.

[mhegazy]

Programming languages are tools; and as a developer you choose the tool that fits your project needs. I do not believe that there is a universally better language for all projects.
When we embarked on the TypeScript project, we wanted to build a toolset that is 1. cross platform, 2. open source, 3. talks to the JS community. JavaScript/TypeScript was and still is the best road for this end. Moreover bootstrapping is a very useful tool for compiler construction in general.
There is any plans to rewrite the TypeSceript compiler at the time being. closing.

[basarat]

@Montago enough has been said here but just wanted to point out a recent post on Script# and the migration to TypeScript to leverage the greater JavaScript ecosystem https://medium.com/@delveeng/welcome-to-delve-engineering-7d6c027c96f1#.re1r44lsj 🌹

[Montago]

Walker Ranger has written a few blog articles about this matter:
http://walkercoderanger.com/blog/2014/02/javascript-minefield/
his proposed syntax is pretty rotten though, and people who answered the poll didn't like it either.

BUT he has many great points of why Dart, TypeScript and CoffeeScript (and Javascript) aren't the best tools for building web applications.

What we many many developers who build huge web applications need and yearn for, are a statically typed language with easy to read, predictable code structure.

TypeScript is close - really close - but it suffers from all the pitfalls of Javascript and thereby the tools.
TS like JS is interpreted, which enabled the use of dynamic types and weak comparators.

while investigating alternatives i came up with the idea of JS becoming a browserplugin like we know it from Java runtime, Silverlight and so on... If browsers instead of hardcoding the JS runtime into the browser, instead injected it as an API, then browsers could replace the JS runtime with a C# runtime.
If that was possible, then Dart would work natively as well as C#.
I guess there's too much politics for this to ever happen

Thanks for all the answers.

[DaSchTour]

Just yesterday I was on a conference and there was a speakter talking about the great possibilities JavaScript offers because it is not statically typed and why we shouldn't use TypeScript.

[Montago]

Stockholm syndrom ?

[bluntcoder]

@DaSchTour I would love to see the slides or video of that lecture.