Last Updated on 2024-10-11
For the last couple of years, the number of companies looking for TypeScript developers rose significantly. It coincides with the rise of TypeScript’s popularity within the programming circles. So, what is a TypeScript developer, and why do companies need them? Read on to learn more.
According to Github’s Octoverse, TypeScript (TS) is the fourth most popular programming language in 2020. The three more popular languages are JavaScript, Python, and Java. In addition, TypeScript is second to Rust as the most loved language. This is according to StackOverflow’s survey of over 65,000 developers.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that more developers are learning TS. So, what does a TypeScript developer do? Before answering that question, we must first define what TypeScript is.
What is TypeScript?
Developed by Microsoft, TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript. TypeScript adds optional static typing on top of JavaScript. These types allow you to structure and check your code before the execution. Thus, TypeScript is very helpful when developing large-scale applications.
Benefits of TypeScript
There are many benefits of using TypeScript. Here are some of them:
Static Typing
This is the main advantage of using TS. Static typing allows you to get more information about your code. Hence, you can validate and check your code before running them. As a result, your team will get better technical documentation which will be helpful for other developers. In addition, because TypeScript features a better automatic interference, coding in types is optional.
Modern Language
TS is a modern programming language. Accordingly, it is full of features. TypeScript has classes, interfaces, unions, visibility scopes, and more. Moreover, as a superset, TS has all the JavaScript features such as destructuring, optional chaining operators, arrow functions, etc.
Step-by-Step Adoption
Developers can adapt their code to TypeScript gradually. You can do this by annotating your JavaScript code with JSDoc. Next, you can check parts of your files by TypesScript. Plus, TS type interference allows you to annotate your codebases when you want them safely.
Open-Source
Although TS is the creation of Microsoft, it is an open-source programming language. This means its active and large community helps in updating and developing the language further.
These are some of the benefits of using TypeScript. But from these benefits and safety features, we can conclude that TS is easier to maintain. In addition, it has become the go-to language for scalable frontend applications.
What is a Typescript Developer?
Now that we know what TS is, let’s discuss the roles and responsibilities of a TypeScript developer. First, a TypeScript developer is usually in charge of improving the user experience (UX) of the company’s applications and platforms. Therefore, TypeScript developers mainly specialized in the frontend of the software or application development.
Responsibilities of TypeScript Developers
With that in mind, TypeScript developers have the following duties and responsibilities:
- They are part of the planning, development, and implementation of the user interface.
- TypeScript developers also help in improving the look and design of their companies’ web properties.
- Aside from the design, they also work with other designers and developers to create intuitive web interfaces.
- Research and study the latest user preferences.
- They must be able to work in an environment where sharing code is a practice.
- TypeScript developers must always be in the know about the latest technologies and practices in their field.
- Must be disciplined in their use of source code controls.
- Be responsible for process documentation of each project they work on.
- Must be knowledgeable about conducting code analysis.
- Committed to improving the JavaScript and CSS quality of their work.
- Lastly, TypeScript developers must help in recommending better policies and procedures to improve the company’s output.
Essential Skills for TypeScript Developers
With these responsibilities, you need to hire the right TypeScript developers with the following skills:
- Experience in working with TypeScript in a business setting.
- Candidates must know other relevant programming languages, such as JavaScript, Java, PHP, and Ruby.
- They must be proficient with frameworks and libraries, especially with Angular and React.
- The developers must also be familiar with mobile frameworks like React Native and NativeScript.
- Must have better time management to fulfill various tasks and responsibilities.
- For frontend web development, TypeScript developers should understand the customer’s view to provide the best UX.
- Finally, TypeScript developers should have keen eyes for details to deliver bug and issue-free output.
Aside from these skills, you must ensure that the TypeScript developer that you hire are:
Product Fit
Always check the candidate’s portfolio. Find projects that are similar to yours. By hiring a TypeScript developer that has experience with similar projects, they can instantly participate and contribute. For example, if you are doing a cloud-based web app, find one with experience in Azure, AWS, etc. For an online store project, a TypeScript developer with expertise in working with e-commerce apps is the best fit, and so on.
Industry Fit
Find candidates that have worked in the same industry as your company. These developers will already be familiar with the customers that you are targeting. Hence, they have more ideas on how to provide a better user experience for your target audiences.
Culture Fit
Always prefer TypeScript developers who match your company values and culture. Ask if these candidate developers are agreeable to your company’s management style. What’s their attitude towards a diverse team? How will they manage remote work arrangements? These are important considerations that help the new hires work seamlessly with your teams from day one.
Why Hire a TypeScript Developer?
Aside from being popular with the developers, the TypeScript programming language brings many business benefits. TypeScript developers will help you enhance your user’s experience. Also, because they specialize in TypeScript, they can ensure that your code are error-free. However, even with TypeScript developers working on your project, you will still need other specialists. To bring your product to the top, you will need designers, QAs, and more.
Here at Full Scale, we can provide you with the best specialists your team needs. From TypeScript developers to testers and designers, we will help you build your dream team. We can support you with talent and our expertise in assisting startups in achieving their business goals.
Contact us today, and let’s start working towards your success!
Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale, he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.