TypeScript - Build & Tooling

Run TS directly

• tsx: zero-config runner for TS/ESM. Great DX for scripts and dev servers.
• ts-node: mature runner; often slower than tsx; integrates with register hooks.

Build options

• tsc: typecheck + emit. Pair with bundlers for apps.
• esbuild/swc: extremely fast transpilers; pair with tsc --noEmit for typecheck.
• tsup: thin wrapper around esbuild for libraries (CJS+ESM+types).
• Vite: dev server + build (Rollup) for web apps; first-class TS support.
• Webpack/Rollup: flexible bundlers; pick when you need specific plugins or outputs.

Recommended library setup

npm i -D typescript tsup
npx tsc --init

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsup src/index.ts --dts --format esm,cjs --sourcemap",
    "typecheck": "tsc -p tsconfig.json --noEmit"
  }
}