As a programmer, it can feel like you know something well enough to be dangerous. For some situations, this is fine. All you need to know are these three methods in this programming language. Other times we want to develop expertise. In this article, we’ll cover ways to advance your TypeScript skills to that next level.
Below are various ways you can further your TypeScript abilities. These are in no particular order.
Learn in Public
One of my favorite movements is #LearnInPublic, which gained traction after Shawn Wang published a gist. When you tell others what you’re doing, opportunities arise. These come in various forms.
One form is connecting with others. You’re now viewed at as someone in the “TypeScript” space because people see you working with it. They may reach out for help. They may ask you questions. They may even ask you to do freelance work or content creation. You never know.
Another door that it opens is the ability to teach others. Chances are something you learn, then explain, may unlock someone else’s understanding of that topic. They see your posts and level up their skills. It’s a win-win.
Start an Ultralearning Project
Coined by Scott Young, ultralearning is a “strategy for aggressive, self-directed learning.” Think of it like creating a college course, then doing the material at a 2x pace. The more challenging you make it, the more fulfilling it is to do. Scott provides an excellent guide for creating your own ultralearning project. I highly recommend this approach if you can make the time. Commit to a month of TypeScript and see how deep you can go.
Create Utility Types from Scratch
In the TypeScript Handbook, you can find a list of the built-in utility types. One exercise you can do is try writing them from scratch. I did this myself with the Readonly and the Partial utility types. It’s a fun challenge and will help you understand more complex concepts.
Contribute to Open Source
No doubt one of the best ways to reach a new level of TypeScript abilities is by using your skills to give back. As TypeScript continues to grow, the number of projects that need help migrating will follow suit. You can write types for libraries in the DefinitelyTyped repository. You can contribute to TypeScript itself. You can start a new community TypeScript cheatsheet, or contribute to an existing one. Or you can write your own open-source project. There are many ways.
Join a Community
TypeScript has a few online communities where you can meet fellow TS folk. Here are two:
Even though these are TypeScript-specific, you can usually find smaller TS circles within larger tech groups. Find people who know more than you and learn from them.
Speak at a Meetup
Speaking is one of the best ways to level up TypeScript skills. Find a local meetup and share something! It doesn’t have to be a life-changing project. It could be something short like, “How does X work in TypeScript?” Or it could be about your personal experience, your challenges and how you overcame them. Meetup organizers are always looking for speakers. You can take advantage of those opportunities and level up your skills.
Host a Lunch and Learn
If you don’t feel like you’re ready to speak at a meetup, hosting a lunch and learning with your coworkers is a great first step. Even if you don’t speak at a meetup, lunch and learns are low-barrier. Most often your coworkers will say yes, and allow you to share. By sharing and teaching others, you’ll start to develop a reputation for your TypeScript skills. Maybe they’ll consider you the in-house expert! This will boost your confidence, your knowledge and maybe even your career.
Answer Questions on Stack Overflow
If you’re up for a more difficult challenge, you can set up a filter for TypeScript-specific questions on Stack Overflow. This way, you can see if there are any you feel capable of answering. Sometimes you’ll find one or two. Other times, you’ll spend an hour or so trying to figure out the problem, only to realize you don’t know how to solve it. It will push you. You’ll get frustrated. But you’ll further solidify your TS knowledge. It’s a fantastic way to advance your skills. And the added beauty? You can do it as little or as often as you want, whenever you want! It’s a great activity to pair with your ultralearning project.
Help Others
Last but not least, helping others will guarantee you enhance your TypeScript skillset. When you help someone else, you’re forced to explain your understanding in a way that makes sense to them. This oftentimes is difficult, especially if you’ve learned TypeScript solo. But after the first few times, it gets easier and easier.
There are several ways you can help others. Here are a few to get you started:
- Answer questions on community forums like freeCodeCamp.
- Search for tweets mentioning TypeScript.
- Post a tweet offering to help others.
- Write a blog post showing how to do X in TypeScript.
- Triage issues and reproduce reports in projects like tsdx.
Putting in the time to advance your TypeScript abilities is a wonderful thing to do for your career. This list is far from complete. But hopefully it’s enough to get you started.
Frequently Asked Questions on Advanced TypeScript Skills
What are some best practices for writing high-quality TypeScript code?
Writing high-quality TypeScript code involves several best practices. Firstly, always use the strict mode to catch potential errors early. Secondly, use type annotations to make your code more readable and maintainable. Thirdly, use interfaces to define the shape of complex types. Fourthly, use modules to organize your code and avoid naming conflicts. Lastly, use the TypeScript compiler’s advanced features like union types, intersection types, and type guards to write more robust and flexible code.
How can I elevate my TypeScript skills?
To elevate your TypeScript skills, you can start by understanding and mastering the basics of TypeScript, such as types, interfaces, classes, and modules. Then, you can move on to more advanced topics like generics, decorators, and advanced types. Additionally, you can learn from other experienced TypeScript developers by reading their code, following their blogs, or watching their tutorials. Finally, practice is key. The more you code in TypeScript, the better you will become.
What are some tips for writing better TypeScript code?
Some tips for writing better TypeScript code include using the strict mode, using type annotations, using interfaces, using modules, and using the TypeScript compiler’s advanced features. Additionally, you should always write clean, readable, and maintainable code. This means using meaningful variable names, commenting your code, and following a consistent coding style. Lastly, you should always test your code to ensure it works as expected.
How can I learn TypeScript from scratch?
Learning TypeScript from scratch involves several steps. Firstly, you should have a basic understanding of JavaScript, as TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript. Secondly, you should learn the basics of TypeScript, such as types, interfaces, classes, and modules. Then, you can move on to more advanced topics like generics, decorators, and advanced types. There are many resources available online, such as tutorials, videos, and blogs, that can help you learn TypeScript.
What are some expert interviews on TypeScript?
There are many expert interviews on TypeScript available online. These interviews can provide valuable insights into how experienced TypeScript developers use the language, their best practices, and their tips for writing high-quality TypeScript code. Some of these interviews can be found on websites like Total TypeScript, Medium, and YouTube.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing TypeScript code?
Some common mistakes to avoid when writing TypeScript code include not using the strict mode, not using type annotations, not using interfaces, not using modules, and not using the TypeScript compiler’s advanced features. Additionally, you should avoid writing messy, unreadable, and unmaintainable code. This means avoiding meaningless variable names, not commenting your code, and not following a consistent coding style.
How can I become an expert in TypeScript?
Becoming an expert in TypeScript involves a combination of learning, practicing, and gaining experience. You should start by mastering the basics of TypeScript, then move on to more advanced topics. You should also practice coding in TypeScript regularly, as this will help you become more familiar with the language and its features. Additionally, you should learn from other experienced TypeScript developers by reading their code, following their blogs, or watching their tutorials.
What are some resources for learning TypeScript?
There are many resources available online for learning TypeScript. These include tutorials, videos, blogs, and online courses. Some popular online platforms for learning TypeScript include Udemy, Coursera, and Khan Academy. Additionally, the official TypeScript website provides a comprehensive guide to the language, including its syntax, features, and best practices.
How can I write more robust and flexible TypeScript code?
Writing more robust and flexible TypeScript code involves using the TypeScript compiler’s advanced features like union types, intersection types, and type guards. These features allow you to create more complex types and ensure that your code behaves correctly. Additionally, you should always use the strict mode and use type annotations to catch potential errors early and make your code more readable and maintainable.
What are some advanced topics in TypeScript?
Some advanced topics in TypeScript include generics, decorators, and advanced types. Generics allow you to create reusable components that can work with different types. Decorators allow you to add metadata to your classes, methods, and properties. Advanced types, such as union types, intersection types, and type guards, allow you to create more complex types and ensure that your code behaves correctly.
Joe PreviteJoe Previte is a developer, a teacher and creator of Vim for VSCode. In his spare time, he enjoys creating videos for egghead, writing articles relating to coding and leading an online meditation study group.
