The TypeScript team is taking a bold step forward to enhance performance and scalability. While TypeScript has always been about delivering an exceptional developer experience, larger projects have faced challenges with slow load times, lengthy type-checking, and performance bottlenecks. To address these issues, TypeScript is evolving to ensure it remains as efficient as it is powerful.
Why Performance Matters
Developers rely on TypeScript to:
- Confidently refactor large projects
- Quickly find references and navigate codebases
- Enjoy AI-powered enhancements for code suggestions
- Run fast command-line builds with minimal overhead
To meet these needs, the TypeScript team is introducing a native port of the TypeScript compiler and tools—an upgrade that will revolutionize editor responsiveness, cut build times by a factor of 10, and significantly reduce memory consumption.
The Native TypeScript Compiler: What to Expect
Work is already underway to port TypeScript’s compiler and language service to a native implementation. This transition is expected to deliver massive speed improvements, with early benchmarks showing:
| Codebase | Size (LOC) | Current (JS) | Native (New) | Speed Boost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VS Code | 1,505,000 | 77.8s | 7.5s | 10.4x |
| Playwright | 356,000 | 11.1s | 1.1s | 10.1x |
| TypeORM | 270,000 | 17.5s | 1.3s | 13.5x |
| date-fns | 104,000 | 6.5s | 0.7s | 9.5x |
| tRPC | 18,000 | 5.5s | 0.6s | 9.1x |
| rxjs | 2,100 | 1.1s | 0.1s | 11.0x |
These results indicate a staggering improvement in performance across various real-world projects. This means near-instant type-checking, faster builds, and a seamless editing experience.
Editor Performance: A Game-Changer
Most developers spend the majority of their time inside an editor, making responsiveness a top priority. The native compiler significantly reduces editor load times, improving workflow efficiency.
Using Visual Studio Code as a benchmark, project load times have been slashed from 9.6 seconds to just 1.2 seconds—an 8x improvement.
What This Means for Developers:
- Faster startup times when opening large projects
- Instant feedback on errors and suggestions
- Reduced memory usage, making development smoother
- Lightning-fast navigation with features like “Go to Definition” and “Find All References”
Additionally, the TypeScript team is integrating with the Language Server Protocol (LSP) to better align with other modern language implementations, further enhancing compatibility and performance.
Roadmap: What’s Next for TypeScript?
The current JavaScript-based TypeScript codebase will continue with the 6.x series, while the new native implementation will debut as TypeScript 7.0. Here’s a breakdown of what’s ahead:
Upcoming Releases
- TypeScript 5.9 (coming soon) – Last major 5.x release
- TypeScript 6.0 – Introduces breaking changes to align with native port
- TypeScript 7.0 (Native) – Full-featured native implementation
Transitioning to TypeScript 7
While some projects will be able to switch to TypeScript 7 immediately, others may require additional updates due to dependencies on legacy configurations. To ensure a smooth transition, the TypeScript team will continue to support the TypeScript 6.x series until the native version reaches widespread adoption.
Developers may also encounter internal references to “Strada” (TypeScript’s original codename) and “Corsa” (the codename for the native compiler project).
Getting Started with the Native TypeScript Compiler
The TypeScript team invites developers to try out the new native implementation! The working repository is open-source and can be built from source today.
Check out the repo and get started
Regular updates will be shared on progress, including new features and benchmarks. Feedback from the community will be invaluable in shaping the future of TypeScript.
Conclusion: A Faster, Smarter TypeScript
With the transition to a native compiler, TypeScript is entering a new era of speed and efficiency. This upgrade will:
- Cut build times by 10x
- Enhance editor responsiveness
- Reduce memory consumption
- Unlock new AI-powered coding experiences
The TypeScript team is excited about what this means for developers and looks forward to seeing how this transformation boosts productivity. Stay tuned for more updates!
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