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Compiler Options & tsconfig

In this tutorial, we'll explore TypeScript compiler options and the tsconfig.json file, which allows you to configure how the TypeScript compiler behaves in your project.

Creating a tsconfig.json File​

To create a tsconfig.json file, run the following command:

tsc --init

This command generates a tsconfig.json file with default configuration options.

Basic Compiler Options​

Here are some basic compiler options that you can configure in the tsconfig.json file:

  • target: Determines the ECMAScript version your code will be compiled to. Defaults to es3.
  • module: Determines the module system to use. Common options are CommonJS, AMD, System, UMD, ES2015, ES2020, or None.
  • outDir: The output directory for the compiled JavaScript files.
  • rootDir: The root directory of your TypeScript source files.

Example configuration:

JSON
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "es2017",
    "module": "commonjs",
    "outDir": "./dist",
    "rootDir": "./src"
  }
}

Strict Type Checking Options​

TypeScript provides several options for strict type checking:

  • strict: Enables all strict type checking options. Defaults to true.
  • noImplicitAny: Raises an error when a variable has an implicit any type.
  • strictNullChecks: Ensures that null and undefined values are explicitly handled.

Example configuration:

JSON
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "strict": true,
    "noImplicitAny": true,
    "strictNullChecks": true
  }
}

Debugging Options​

These options help with debugging your TypeScript code:

  • sourceMap: Generates source map files for easier debugging in browsers.
  • inlineSourceMap: Generates inline source maps instead of separate files.
  • inlineSources: Includes the TypeScript source code in the source map.

Example configuration:

JSON
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "sourceMap": true,
    "inlineSourceMap": false,
    "inlineSources": true
  }
}

Miscellaneous Options​

  • esModuleInterop: Enables better compatibility between CommonJS and ES modules.
  • skipLibCheck: Skips type checking of declaration files (.d.ts files).
  • forceConsistentCasingInFileNames: Enforces consistent casing for file names.

Example configuration:

JSON
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true
  }
}

Conclusion​

In this tutorial, we've explored some common TypeScript compiler options and how to configure them using the tsconfig.json file. By fine-tuning these options, you can create a TypeScript project tailored to your specific needs.