A trainee recently asked me in a friendly manner why they should learn native JavaScript for frontend development instead of starting with TypeScript.

TypeScript¹ is a popular language and offers many advantages.

So, why should one bother with Vanilla JavaScript² nowadays? After all, people don't learn Assembler anymore. Not everything that limps is a valid comparison.

Although I personally regret that Assembler³ is no longer taught, it's true. Even without knowledge of Assembler, one can write good programs as long as they're programming far away from the hardware.

However, I see JavaScript a bit differently. JavaScript has its quirks, and one could kindly say it's not the best language in the world, but JavaScript is the language of the web and is supported by all modern browsers.

My spontaneous answer was, "If you have to debug in the browser, and you will, you'll only see JavaScript."

But that's just one argument; there are more reasons why beginners should first deal with pure JavaScript:

Fundamental understanding: Learning JavaScript provides a solid foundation for web development. Understanding the basic concepts and principles of JavaScript makes it easier to dive into advanced features of TypeScript and use other frameworks or libraries.

Flexibility: With JavaScript skills, one can easily switch between different projects and technologies. While TypeScript may be useful for specific applications, a good understanding of JavaScript allows working in various environments and with different tools.

Problem-solving skills: Learning JavaScript can help develop problem-solving abilities by learning how to deal with the peculiarities and difficulties of the language.
These skills are valuable throughout software development and can be transferred to other programming languages and environments.

Marketability: JavaScript is one of the most in-demand skills in the job market. Learning JavaScript can increase the chances of employment and professional success. Although TypeScript may be preferred in some companies and projects, mastering JavaScript remains a crucial building block for a career in web development.

Community and resources: JavaScript has a large and active community ready to share their knowledge and help others. There are numerous resources, tutorials, and projects based on JavaScript that are easily accessible to beginners. This makes getting started with web development using JavaScript more manageable and enjoyable.

In summary, these arguments provide good reasons for beginners to first engage with pure JavaScript before diving into TypeScript or other frameworks and libraries.

JavaScript is an indispensable foundation for understanding web development and offers a variety of benefits and opportunities.

What is your opinion?

1. https://www.typescriptlang.org/ ↩

2. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript?retiredLocale=de ↩

3. https://www.tutorialspoint.com/assembly_programming/index.htm ↩