Node - spinningideas/resources GitHub Wiki

Process Management

cmd "/C TASKKILL /IM node.exe /F"

bash -c "pkill -f 'node.*server.js'"

Typescript in Node

As of 2026, Node.js (v22+) has stable, built-in TypeScript support via "type stripping". There are now three distinct approaches depending on project complexity.

Option 1: Native Node.js Type Stripping (Zero-Config)

Node.js v22+ can run .ts files directly by stripping type annotations at the text level and executing the remaining JavaScript. No build step or dependencies required.

  • Docs: https://nodejs.org/en/learn/typescript/run-natively
  • Run a file: 
    node app.ts
  • Limitations:
    • Does not type-check - use tsc --noEmit separately for that.
    • Ignores tsconfig.json entirely.
    • Only supports "erasable" TypeScript syntax. The following are not supported: enum, namespace, parameter properties, decorators that require code generation, and path aliases.
  • Best for: Scripts, small utilities, quick prototypes.

Option 2: tsx (Recommended for Development)

tsx is the industry-standard development runner in 2026. Powered by esbuild, it is significantly faster than the legacy ts-node, supports full tsconfig.json resolution, path aliases, decorators, and ESM.

  • Docs: https://tsx.is/
  • Install: 
    npm install -D tsx
  • Run a file: 
    npx tsx src/app.ts
  • Run with watch mode (dev server): 
    npx tsx watch src/app.ts
  • In package.json scripts: 
    {
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "tsx watch src/index.ts",
    "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit"
  }
}
  • Note: Like native stripping, tsx does not type-check. Run tsc --noEmit in CI or as a separate script to catch type errors.
  • Best for: Production backends, complex apps, any project using path aliases or decorators.

ts-node is now considered legacy. Most projects have migrated to tsx.

Option 3: tsc Build Pipeline (Production)

For production deployments, the canonical approach is to compile TypeScript to JavaScript using the TypeScript compiler (tsc) and then run the compiled output.

  • Install TypeScript: 
    npm install -D typescript @types/node
  • Initialise tsconfig: 
    npx tsc --init
  • Compile: 
    npx tsc
  • Run compiled output: 
    node dist/index.js
  • In package.json scripts: 
    {
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsc",
    "start": "node dist/index.js",
    "dev": "tsx watch src/index.ts",
    "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit"
  }
}

Recommended tsconfig.json (2026)

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "ES2022",
    "module": "NodeNext",
    "moduleResolution": "NodeNext",
    "strict": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "noUnusedLocals": true,
    "noUnusedParameters": true,
    "noFallthroughCasesInSwitch": true,
    "noUncheckedIndexedAccess": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true,
    "outDir": "./dist",
    "rootDir": "./src"
  },
  "include": ["src/**/*"]
}

Comparison Summary

Native node tsx tsc build
Setup Zero-config Install tsx Install typescript
tsconfig.json Ignored Fully supported Fully supported
Path aliases ❌ ✅ ✅
Decorators / enums ❌ ✅ ✅
Type checking ❌ ❌ (run tsc --noEmit) ✅
Best for Scripts, utilities Dev / production backends Production deployments

References