Unfortunately Deno gave up on their most unique differentiator, the TS [runtime].
> Deno is a runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript that is based on the V8 JavaScript engine and the Rust programming language.
We've simply incorporated the type-checking and transpiling steps into the deno cli, making it super simple to get going, no config needed.
> A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript.
Shouldn't require caveats, with the caveat being that there is no runtime for TS.
There is reason to believe that the extra information given from TS typings could be carried into runtime wins, and so there is absolutely pent up demand for an actual TS runtime.
https://startfunction.com/deno-will-stop-using-typescript/
It featured on HN some time back:
This is the marketing line on the front page of the Deno project:
> A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript.
They are using the same term "runtime" to describe JS as well as TS. All replies here by Deno team members use the language "Typescript support" but nobody here is saying TypeScript runtime.
Hence the implied step that TS needs to first be transpiled to JS before getting executed in the runtime was always in the back of my head and I'm guessing this is the way most people think as well.
And from a black-box perspective, whether TS first gets transpiled to JS or run directly doesn't make a difference. In that sense one could argue that it is a "TS runtime". This is a petty semantics-fight I don't want to get into though and I've probably already said too much :).
If you are interested in something that gets close to a TS runtime though, have a look at AssemblyScript [0]. It compiles to WASM and tries to keep most of the syntax of TS. Very interesting project imo.
To me "TypeScript runtime" means running TypeScript in a mode that runs faster than JavaScript by actually using the type info to generate better machine code. It does not mean translating to JavaScript at runtime and running in V8.
For example at one time there was an experimental version of Chrome that had a Dart Runtime. A quick google finds this HN thread when they decided NOT to have a dart runtime
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9264531
So can we get clear? Does Deno plan to execute TypeScript natively (not via V8 or via a heavily modified V8) or are the plans to continue compiling TypeScript to JavaScript internally and actually just run JavaScript
1: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_WvwHl7BXUPmoiSeD8G83JmS...
I do find the messaging to be confusing, because what would you think I meant if I talked about the runtime of Elixir or Scala?
This is the marketing line on the front page of the Deno project:
> A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript.
They are using the same term "runtime" to describe JS as well as TS. All replies here by Deno team members use the language "Typescript support" but nobody here is saying TypeScript runtime.
This is the marketing line on the front page of the Deno project:
> A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript.
They are using the same term "runtime" to describe JS as well as TS. All replies here by Deno team members use the language "Typescript support" but nobody here is saying TypeScript runtime.