Any difference between type assertions and the newer `as` operator in TypeScript?

Question

Is there any difference between what the TypeScript spec calls a type assertion:

var circle =  createShape(\"circle\");

And t

Answer 1

From Wiki page: "What's new in TypeScript [1.6]":

New .tsx file extension and as operator

TypeScript 1.6 introduces a new .tsx file extension. This extension does two things: it enables JSX inside of TypeScript files, and it makes the new as operator the default way to cast (removing any ambiguity between JSX expressions and the TypeScript prefix cast operator). For example:

var x =  foo; 
// is equivalent to:
var x = foo as any;