Calling properly TypeScript code from JavaScript

Question

On our big enterprise project we faced a situation that seems not to be very well described in the articles and the posts available in the Internet.

We need to integ

Answer 1

Simply said, if you have to integrate/use a library which is written in Typescript in your own project which uses JavaScript, you will use the compiled JavaScript API!

You basically throw away everything which TypeScript brings in terms of benefit over pure JavaScript.

Meaning you don't have to care about anything specific to TypeScript, like generics etc. You only have to work with the compiled output of the TypeScript library...

To give you an example, go to http://www.typescriptlang.org/Playground Select "Walkthrough: Generics". On the right you should see the compiled JavaScript. It has no generics or anything special, it still is pure JavaScript. That's what you have to deal with...

to your "specific" questions:

• what will be the JavaScript shape of the TypeScript API that extensively uses generics, class hierarchies, interfaces? See above. It will be plain good old Javascript. No difference for you.
• are there any issues with bundling, minification, AMD? No, because compiled TypeScript is plain JavaScript and can be minified etc...
• is it possible to have the basic Angular controller written in TypeScript and the other JavaScript Angular controller that inherits the functionality from it? What will be the caveats? Yes of course you can do whatever you want with the compiled JavaScript.

The only disadvantage of using the compiled JavaScript from Typescirpt is, that you throw away the awesome features TypeScript can give you, like... types... If the other team is already on that route, you may want to consider to write your part in TypeScript as well ;)