When I first started using TypeScript with React, I wasn’t sure how they worked together. TypeScript is a programming language, and React is a library for building user interfaces,so it was a bit confusing at first.
But over time, I saw that they actually work really well together. TypeScript helps you write safer code by catching mistakes early, and React makes it easy to build interactive web apps.
In this tutorial, I’ll explain the difference between TypeScript and React, how they work together, and share some tips from my own experience using them in real projects.
What is TypeScript?
TypeScript is a strongly-typed superset of JavaScript developed by Microsoft. It adds optional static typing to JavaScript, which helps catch errors during development rather than at runtime.
I’ve found TypeScript is particularly valuable when working on large-scale applications where type safety becomes critical. It provides better tooling, enhanced code quality, and improved developer experience.
Key features of TypeScript include:
- Static type checking
- Interface definitions
- Class-based object-oriented programming
- Generics
- Type inference
- Enhanced IDE support
What is React?
React is a JavaScript library created by Facebook (now Meta) for building user interfaces. It’s component-based and allows developers to create reusable UI components that efficiently update when data changes.
In my projects, React has been invaluable for creating interactive UIs that update predictably. It uses a virtual DOM to optimize rendering performance and follows a declarative programming paradigm.
Key features of React include:
- Component-based architecture
- Virtual DOM
- JSX syntax
- Unidirectional data flow
- React hooks
- Extensive ecosystem
Check out: Differences Between TypeScript and JavaScript
TypeScript vs React: The Fundamental Difference
The most important distinction to understand is that TypeScript and React serve completely different purposes in web development:
TypeScript is a programming language that adds static typing to JavaScript. It’s a tool for writing more robust code.
React is a library for building user interfaces. It’s a framework for creating components that display and manage data on the screen.
This comparison is similar to comparing apples and kitchen appliances – they’re different categories entirely!
How TypeScript and React Work Together
Rather than competing, TypeScript and React complement each other perfectly. I use them together in almost all my frontend projects. Here’s why they work so well together:
1. Type-Safe Props and State
One of the biggest benefits I’ve found is that TypeScript provides type safety for React props and state. For example:
//UserProfile.tsx
import React from 'react';
interface UserProfileProps {
name: string;
age: number;
email: string;
isAdmin?: boolean; // Optional prop
}
const UserProfile: React.FC<UserProfileProps> = ({ name, age, email, isAdmin = false }) => {
return (
<div style={{ border: '1px solid gray', padding: '1rem', borderRadius: '8px' }}>
<h2>{name}</h2>
<p>Age: {age}</p>
<p>Email: {email}</p>
{isAdmin && <p style={{ color: 'red' }}>Administrator</p>}
</div>
);
};
export default UserProfile;Update the code in App.tsx.
import React from 'react';
import UserProfile from './conponents/UserProfile';
function App() {
return (
<div style={{ margin: '2rem' }}>
<h1>User Profile Demo</h1>
<UserProfile
name="henry david"
age={30}
email="[email protected]"
isAdmin={true}
/>
</div>
);
}
export default App;This prevents common errors like passing a string to an age prop that expects a number.
Output:
Check out: Differences Between Type and Interface in TypeScript
2. Better Component Definitions
TypeScript allows you to clearly define component interfaces, making them more self-documenting and easier to use correctly:
// Button component with typed props
interface ButtonProps {
text: string;
onClick: () => void;
variant: 'primary' | 'secondary' | 'danger';
}
const Button: React.FC<ButtonProps> = ({ text, onClick, variant }) => {
return (
<button
className={`btn btn-${variant}`}
onClick={onClick}
>
{text}
</button>
);
};3. Enhanced IDE Support
When using TypeScript with React, your IDE can provide better autocomplete suggestions, making development faster and reducing errors:
import React from 'react';
// Define the type for cart items
export interface CartItem {
id: string;
name: string;
price: number;
}
interface ShoppingCartProps {
items: CartItem[];
}
const ShoppingCart: React.FC<ShoppingCartProps> = ({ items }) => {
return (
<ul style={{ listStyleType: 'none', padding: 0 }}>
{items.map(item => (
<li key={item.id}>
{item.name} - ${item.price}
</li>
))}
</ul>
);
};
export default ShoppingCart;Update the code below in the App.tsx file.
import React from 'react';
import ShoppingCart from './components/ShoppingCart';
import type { CartItem } from './components/ShoppingCart';
const cartItems: CartItem[] = [
{ id: '1', name: 'Wireless Mouse', price: 25 },
{ id: '2', name: 'Keyboard', price: 45 },
{ id: '3', name: 'USB-C Cable', price: 10 },
];
function App() {
return (
<div style={{ margin: '2rem' }}>
<h1>Shopping Cart</h1>
<ShoppingCart items={cartItems} />
</div>
);
}
export default App;Output:
Check out: Difference Between Protected vs Private in TypeScript
When to Use TypeScript with React
Based on my experience, here are scenarios where TypeScript provides the most value in React projects:
Method 1: For Large-Scale Applications
For enterprise applications with multiple developers, TypeScript’s type safety creates a more maintainable codebase. It reduces bugs and makes onboarding new developers easier.
I worked on a healthcare portal with over 200 React components, and TypeScript’s interface definitions were crucial for maintaining consistency across the application.
Method 2: For Complex State Management
When your application has complex state management requirements, TypeScript helps keep your Redux store, context providers, and other state mechanisms type-safe:
// Type-safe Redux with TypeScript
interface AppState {
user: {
id: string;
name: string;
permissions: string[];
} | null;
cart: {
items: CartItem[];
total: number;
};
}
// Actions are also type-safe
type UserAction =
| { type: 'LOGIN', payload: User }
| { type: 'LOGOUT' };Method 3: For Teams with Varying Experience Levels
TypeScript serves as built-in documentation for React components, making it easier for junior developers to understand how to use components correctly without digging through documentation.
Common Challenges When Combining TypeScript and React
While TypeScript and React work well together, there are some challenges I’ve encountered:
1. Learning Curve
The initial learning curve can be steep if you’re new to both technologies. I recommend mastering React basics first, then gradually introducing TypeScript.
2. Type Definitions for Third-Party Libraries
Some React libraries might not have proper TypeScript definitions. In these cases, you can create your own type definitions or look for community-contributed ones.
3. Overtyping
It’s possible to overuse TypeScript, creating unnecessarily complex type definitions. I’ve learned to start simple and add complexity only when needed.
Real-World Example: E-Commerce Product Page
Let’s look at a practical example of using TypeScript with React for an e-commerce product page:
// Product types
interface Product {
id: string;
name: string;
price: number;
description: string;
imageUrl: string;
inventory: number;
variants?: ProductVariant[];
}
interface ProductVariant {
id: string;
color: string;
size: string;
inventory: number;
}
// Product component with TypeScript
const ProductDetail: React.FC<{ product: Product }> = ({ product }) => {
const [selectedVariant, setSelectedVariant] = useState<ProductVariant | null>(null);
const [quantity, setQuantity] = useState<number>(1);
// Type-safe handler
const handleAddToCart = () => {
if (quantity > (selectedVariant?.inventory ?? product.inventory)) {
alert("Not enough inventory!");
return;
}
// Add to cart logic...
};
return (
<div className="product-detail">
<img src={product.imageUrl} alt={product.name} />
<h1>{product.name}</h1>
<p className="price">${product.price}</p>
<p>{product.description}</p>
{product.variants && (
<div className="variants">
<h3>Available Options</h3>
<select onChange={(e) => {
const selected = product.variants?.find(v => v.id === e.target.value);
setSelectedVariant(selected || null);
}}>
<option value="">Select variant</option>
{product.variants.map(variant => (
<option key={variant.id} value={variant.id}>
{variant.color} - {variant.size}
</option>
))}
</select>
</div>
)}
<div className="quantity">
<label>
Quantity:
<input
type="number"
min="1"
value={quantity}
onChange={(e) => setQuantity(parseInt(e.target.value))}
/>
</label>
</div>
<button
onClick={handleAddToCart}
disabled={quantity > (selectedVariant?.inventory ?? product.inventory)}
>
Add to Cart
</button>
</div>
);
};Output:
This example demonstrates how TypeScript helps ensure that our component handles products, variants, and inventory correctly.
Check out: TypeScript Class vs Interface
TypeScript and React in Modern Development
The combination of TypeScript and React has become increasingly popular in modern web development. According to TypeScript interview questions, TypeScript and React work well together, with TypeScript adding static typing that helps catch errors early in development.
Many developers now consider TypeScript essential for large React projects. The differences between TypeScript and JavaScript include enhanced tooling support, which significantly improves the developer experience, especially when working with React.
I personally find that TypeScript makes React development more productive by:
- Catching prop-related errors before runtime
- Making component interfaces self-documenting
- Improving refactoring capabilities
- Enhancing IDE support for React components
Check out: Use ForwardRef in TypeScript
Setting Up a TypeScript React Project
Setting up a new project with TypeScript and React has become straightforward. According to this guide on setting up React environments, modern tools like Create React App and Vite offer built-in TypeScript support.
Here’s how to create a new TypeScript React project using Create React App:
npx create-react-app my-app --template typescriptOr with Vite (which I personally prefer for its speed):
npm create vite@latest my-app -- --template react-tsBoth methods will set up a project with TypeScript and React properly configured to work together.
TypeScript vs React vs Other Technologies
When discussing TypeScript and React, it’s also helpful to understand how they relate to other technologies:
- TypeScript vs JavaScript for React: TypeScript adds static typing to JavaScript, making your React code more robust. The differences between TypeScript and JavaScript include features like static typing, classes, and interfaces that help in writing more maintainable React code.
- React vs Angular: Angular has TypeScript built in by default, while React works with either JavaScript or TypeScript. This gives React more flexibility.
- React vs Vue: Like React, Vue can be used with or without TypeScript. Vue 3 was rewritten in TypeScript, improving its TypeScript integration.
- React vs Django: As noted in Django vs ReactJS, React is a frontend library, while Django is a Python backend framework. They serve different purposes but can be used together in a full-stack application.
I’ve found that understanding these relationships helps developers make better architecture decisions.
Conclusion
TypeScript and React aren’t competing technologies – they’re complementary tools that work exceptionally well together. TypeScript adds type safety to your React code, while React provides a powerful component model for building user interfaces.
From my experience, the combination leads to more maintainable code, fewer runtime errors, and better developer productivity. While there is an initial learning curve, the benefits quickly outweigh the costs, especially for larger applications.
I am Bijay Kumar, a Microsoft MVP in SharePoint. Apart from SharePoint, I started working on Python, Machine learning, and artificial intelligence for the last 5 years. During this time I got expertise in various Python libraries also like Tkinter, Pandas, NumPy, Turtle, Django, Matplotlib, Tensorflow, Scipy, Scikit-Learn, etc… for various clients in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Check out my profile.
