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Microsoft Releases TypeScript 0.9

The big update in the latest version is the introduction of generics.

TypeScript, Microsoft's popular superset of JavaScript that allows developers to build more robust JavaScript applications, has been upgraded to version 0.9.

S. Somasegar, VP of Microsoft's Developer Division, announced the new iteration on his blog. The big release in version 0.9 is the introduction of generics, which Somasegar said was "the most publically-requested feature."

Microsoft's C# Programming Guide describes generics as "type parameters, which make it possible to design classes and methods that defer the specification of one or more types until the class or method is declared and instantiated by client code." Generics were first introduced to C# 2.0 and the common language runtime (CLR).

In addition, Somasegar said TypeScript 0.9 includes "important new language features and improved tooling capabilities", and the TypeScript language service has been enhanced to support large-scale development. It's been "completely rewritten" for better performance, and should improve the ability to build Web and Windows Store applications.

TypeScript, which Microsoft makes available as open source under the Apache 2.0 license, has a number of advantages that make it attractive to traditional .NET developers. It's statically typed, and has classes, modules and type inference. A TypeScript plugin for Visual Studio 2012 supports full IntelliSense, static error messages, code navigation, refactoring, symbol-based navigation and statement completion among other features.

TypeScript was first unveiled last October. Microsoft has emphasized that TypeScript is JavaScript: it compiles to JavaScript and can be used in any browser, any host, and can be used with any operating system. It's fully standards compliant and completely cross-platform.