
technologyFeb 15, 202122:31pending
Hasty Treat - TypeScript Compilers and Build Tools
About this episode
In this Hasty Treat, Scott and Wes talk about the differences between compilers and build tools in TypeScript.
Sanity - Sponsor Sanity.io is a real-time headless CMS with a fully customizable Content Studio built in React. Get a Sanity powered site up and running in minutes at sanity.io/create. Get an awesome supercharged free developer plan on sanity.io/syntax.
Sentry - Sponsor If you want to know what’s happening with your code, track errors and monitor performance with Sentry. Sentry’s Application Monitoring platform helps developers see performance issues, fix errors faster, and optimize their code health. Cut your time on error resolution from hours to minutes. It works with any language and integrates with dozens of other services. Syntax listeners new to Sentry can get two months for free by visiting Sentry.io and using the coupon code TASTYTREAT during sign up.
Show Notes 03:38 - What is a TypeScript compiler?
Do we still need Babel / WebPack?
07:49 - Babel
Transpiler
It doesn’t do typechecking
New JS features that aren’t in TypeScript yet
10:22 - SWC
Rust based compiler
Doesn’t do type checking (yet)
https://github.com/swc-project/swc/issues/571
13:03 - Deno
Uses tsc right now
Might move to Rust
https://github.com/denoland/deno/issues/5432
13:36 - Surcase
https://github.com/alangpierce/sucrase#transforms
14:46 - ESBuild
Compiles, but doesn’t do any type checking
Fastest
17:39 - What about bundlers?
Parcel
Snowpack
Webpack
ESBuild
When might you still need a bundler? To handle different types of files that are non-standard Like importing CSS and images
Treeshaking
Smaller bundle files Typescript can concatenate to a single file, or all .js files, but smaller / smarter bundles still need a tool for that
Polyfills Typescript does convert to syntax, but will not polyfill features
Something like Promise Syntax can be transpiled to old code
Methods like allSettled aren’t
Links Syntax 324: TypeScript Fundamentals
Syntax 322: The Deno Show
Tweet us your tasty treats! Scott’s Instagram
LevelUpTutorials Instagram
Wes’ Instagram
Wes’ Twitter
Wes’ Facebook
Scott’s Twitter
Make sure to include @SyntaxFM in your tweets
Get every episode summarized
Each time Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

1037: WebMCP is here (and you should care)
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 9, 202656:30completed

1036: Cursor & OpenAI Break Up
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 7, 20261:12:19pending

1035: Why everyone is moving to Stylex?
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 2, 202626:36pending

1034: Omarchy Quattro Release
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Aug 31, 20261:15:47pending