Microsoft released the first Go-based release candidate for TypeScript 7.0 this week [1].
The update represents a fundamental shift in how the language is compiled. By moving to a Go-based architecture, Microsoft aims to eliminate long build times that often hinder developer productivity in large-scale software projects.
According to Microsoft, TypeScript 7.0 is often about 10 times faster than TypeScript 6.0 [1]. This performance gain is attributed to the use of native code speed and shared memory parallelism [1]. These technical changes allow the compiler to process information more efficiently than previous iterations.
"TypeScript 7.0 is often about 10 times faster than TypeScript 6.0, thanks to native code speed and shared memory parallelism," Microsoft said [1].
The architecture allows for a more concurrent approach to compilation. Unlike TypeScript 6.0, TypeScript 7.0 performs many steps in parallel, including parsing, type checking, and emitting, Microsoft said [1]. This transition to parallelism means the compiler can utilize multiple CPU cores simultaneously, a departure from the more sequential processing of earlier versions.
By utilizing Go, the language designed by Google for efficiency and concurrency, Microsoft has rewritten critical paths of the TypeScript compiler. This move addresses a long-standing criticism of the language regarding the speed of its type-checking process during development cycles [1].
“TypeScript 7.0 is often about 10 times faster than TypeScript 6.0”
The transition to a Go-based compiler suggests that Microsoft is prioritizing execution speed and hardware utilization to keep TypeScript competitive as web applications grow in complexity. By implementing shared memory parallelism, the company is reducing the 'compile-wait' cycle, which can significantly lower the operational cost and time-to-market for enterprise software development.
