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How Microsoft Wants To Change JavaScript and TypeScript
This proposal could change JavaScript and TypeScript
Last Wednesday, on 9th March 2022, Microsoft announced their support of a remarkable proposal for the further development of JavaScript and TypeScript.
So far, this is only a suggestion that is available as a so-called Stage 0 proposal, but Microsoft has already announced that they want to submit this proposal to the TC39 (Technical Committee 39) on time. If this proposal is taken up and will be implemented, then it is by far the biggest upheaval that has ever occurred and JavaScript.
History of JavaScript
If we look back 20 years and compare the web development of now and then, it is noticeable that although JavaScript as a programming language has developed quite a bit, much greater progress has taken place in the ecosystem around JavaScript.
These two points are required mutually because, on the one hand, the JavaScript community has become much more professional over the past two decades, and on the other hand, a fundamental problem of the internet is becoming increasingly important. As a developer, you have no control over what browsers are going to be used by the users.
That means you can only use modern features of JavaScript if the user updates their browser regularly. This is probably the case for an individual by now since many browsers these days update themselves or indicate an update without being asked, but this is not the case in companies.
There are strict regulations on software and software updates. Many companies work with outdated software or surf with outdated browsers. This is a fundamental problem that also affects HTML and CSS, as well as programming languages that have to be interpreted by the respective browser and are therefore dependent heavily.
Transpiler and Bundler
As a web developer, you have faced the problem of having to decide between two ideologies: either you rely on modern JavaScript, CSS, or HTML features that simplify programming or lead to better results in usability and so on, or you go without these modern features…
