November 5, 2019
TypeScript 3.7 released
MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. released TypeScriptJavaScript with static types — compiles to JS and powers large front-end and Node codebases. 3.7 on November 5, 2019 — adding optional chaining (`?.`) and nullish coalescing (`??`).
What it was for
TypeScriptJavaScript with static types — compiles to JS and powers large front-end and Node codebases. 3.7 brought JavaScript's most-requested syntax to typed codebases — optional chaining spread to Babel and ES2020. Millions of ReactA JavaScript library for building UIs — component trees and declarative rendering for the web. and NodeNode.js — JavaScript on the server via an event-driven runtime built on V8. projects adopted `obj?.prop` and `value ?? fallback` overnight.
Companies
- Microsoft
Why it's here
TypeScriptJavaScript with static types — compiles to JS and powers large front-end and Node codebases. 3.7 shipped optional chaining and nullish coalescing before ES2020.
Why it mattered
It reduced null-pointer bugs with syntax now standard in JavaScript.
What it solved
Accessing nested properties required verbose null checks and default-value boilerplate.
Media
- ImageTypeScript
™/®Microsoft, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- TypeScript preview releasedOctober 1, 2012
- ECMAScript 2020 standardizedJune 2020
- Babel transpiler first releasedSeptember 28, 2014