TypeScript Installation and Setup

1️⃣ Install Node.js and npm (Prerequisite)

TypeScript runs on Node.js, so you need to install Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) first.

🔹 Step 1: Check if Node.js is installed

Open the terminal or command prompt and run:

node -v

If you see a version number, Node.js is already installed. If not, download and install Node.js from the official website:
🔗 https://nodejs.org/

👉 npm (Node Package Manager) is installed automatically with Node.js. You can check its version with:

npm -v

2️⃣ Install TypeScript Using npm

Once Node.js is installed, you can install TypeScript globally on your system using npm.

🔹 Step 2: Install TypeScript

Run the following command in your terminal:

npm install -g typescript

-g flag installs TypeScript globally, so you can use it in any project.

🔹 Step 3: Verify the Installation

To check if TypeScript is installed correctly, run:

tsc -v

If you see a TypeScript version number, the installation is successful. 🎉

3️⃣ Setting Up a TypeScript Project

To use TypeScript in a project, follow these steps:

🔹 Step 4: Create a Project Folder

Navigate to your preferred directory and create a new folder for your project:

mkdir my-typescript-project
cd my-typescript-project

🔹 Step 5: Initialize a Node.js Project

To create a package.json file, run:

npm init -y

This file stores project information and dependencies.

4️⃣ Create and Configure TypeScript Project

Now, set up TypeScript for your project.

🔹 Step 6: Create a TypeScript Configuration File

Run the following command to generate a tsconfig.json file:

tsc --init

This file contains the TypeScript compiler settings.

🔹 Key Settings in tsconfig.json

Here are some important options you may see in the tsconfig.json file:

{
"compilerOptions": {
"target": "ES6", // Converts TypeScript to ES6 JavaScript
"module": "CommonJS", // Uses CommonJS module system
"outDir": "./dist", // Outputs compiled JavaScript files in 'dist' folder
"rootDir": "./src", // Stores TypeScript files in 'src' folder
"strict": true // Enables strict type checking
}
}

You can modify these settings based on your project requirements.

5️⃣ Writing and Compiling TypeScript Code

Now, let’s write and run a simple TypeScript program.

🔹 Step 7: Create a TypeScript File

Inside your project folder, create a new folder src, then add a file called index.ts:

mkdir src
cd src
touch index.ts

Open index.ts and add this code:

let message: string = "Hello, TypeScript!";
console.log(message);

🔹 Step 8: Compile TypeScript Code

To convert the TypeScript file (.ts) to JavaScript (.js), run:

tsc

✔ This will generate a dist/index.js file that you can run in Node.js or a browser.

6️⃣ Running the Compiled JavaScript Code

Once compiled, run the JavaScript file using Node.js:

node dist/index.js

✔ You should see:

Hello, TypeScript!

🎉 Congratulations! You have successfully installed and set up TypeScript.

7️⃣ Installing TypeScript Locally (Optional)

If you don’t want to install TypeScript globally, you can install it only for a specific project.

🔹 Step 9: Install TypeScript Locally

Inside your project folder, run:

npm install --save-dev typescript

✔ This adds TypeScript as a development dependency.

👉 To use TypeScript locally, modify your package.json file:

"scripts": {
"build": "tsc"
}

Now, you can compile TypeScript using:

npm run build

✔ This method is useful for team projects to ensure everyone uses the same TypeScript version.

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