TypeScript Is Getting a Native Compiler That Is 10x Faster

Anders Hejlsberg, co-founder of TypeScript, announced that the TypeScript compiler and toolset are being ported to native code. The result is a 10x performance improvement across the entire pipeline. This is a direct port, not a rewrite from scratch, which means it is designed to be a drop-in replacement.

The Full Pipeline, Not Just Parsing

The native port covers everything: scanning, parsing, binding, checking, and emitting. The entire compilation pipeline will run as native code.

Because this is a port rather than a reimplementation, the team is aiming for identical behavior. The same error messages, the same type checking results, just 10x faster. One day you will type tsc into your terminal and it will complete in a tenth of the time.

Anders confirmed that the initial open source release already supports this. You can try the faster compiler today.

Key Takeaways

• The TypeScript compiler is being ported to native code for a 10x speed improvement
• It is a direct port, not a rewrite, so it produces identical error messages and type checking behavior
• The full pipeline is included: scanning, parsing, binding, checking, and emitting
• An initial open source release is already available to try

Resources

• Syntax.fm Episode 884 -- full interview with Anders Hejlsberg on the native TypeScript compiler
• TypeScript -- official TypeScript site