Typescript Support for Visual Studio 2017

Question

I have recently been trying to learn TypeScript, and in some of the videos I have been watching after installing the \'Web Essentials\' extension when working with a .ts fil

Answer 1

So TypeScript is installed by default with VS2017 (Update 2 will give you the latest version of 2.3 and allow side by side installs). If you don't have it you can add it via the Visual Studio Installer - from the installer click the burger menu and choose Modify, then click Individual Components and under SDKs, Libraries and Frameworks you can add TypeScript.

Once installed you can add a tsconfig.json file to tell the TypeScript compiler how to behave, example here:

{
    "compileOnSave": true,
    "compilerOptions":
    {
        "noImplicitAny": false,
        "noEmitOnError": true,
        "removeComments": false,
        "sourceMap": true,
        "target": "es5"
    },
    "exclude":
    [
        "node_modules"
    ]
}

The important setting is compileOnSave which tells VS to compile the js file when you save the ts.

You should now see you have a nested Javascript file within your TypeScript file:

Now you just need to open both files side by side and when you save the ts then js will automatically update (it helps to tick the always update option if VS prompts you to load the changed file on disk).