Public Checklist: TypeScript Course Checklist

Set up development environment

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Install Node.js (LTS)

Download and install the latest LTS version from https://nodejs.org. Verify with `node -v` and `npm -v`.

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Install TypeScript compiler

Install TypeScript globally via npm (`npm install -g typescript`) or add as dev dependency in your project (`npm install -D typescript`).

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Choose IDE and install extensions

Install Visual Studio Code and add extensions like ESLint, Prettier, and TypeScript Hero for productivity.

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Configure tsconfig.json

Initialize a TypeScript project with `tsc --init` and adjust options such as `target`, `module`, `strict`, and `outDir`.

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Verify setup with hello world

Create a `src/index.ts` file with `console.log('Hello TypeScript!');`, compile with `tsc`, and run the resulting JavaScript with `node`.

Learn TypeScript basics

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Understand primitive types

Learn string, number, boolean, bigint, symbol, null, and undefined. Practice assigning values and see type errors.

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Work with arrays and tuples

Use type annotations like `number[]` or `Array<number>` and tuple types `[string, number]` for fixed-length arrays.

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Define interfaces and type aliases

Create interfaces for object shapes and use `type` for aliases, unions, and mapped types.

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Use union and intersection types

Combine types with `|` (union) and `&` (intersection) to model flexible data structures.

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Explore enum usage

Learn numeric and string enums, and when to prefer `const enum` or union types instead.

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Practice type inference and explicit annotations

Let TypeScript infer types where possible, but add explicit annotations for function returns and complex objects.

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Implement basic functions with typed parameters and return

Write functions with parameter types and return types, including optional and default parameters.

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Handle null and undefined with strict null checks

Enable `strictNullChecks` in tsconfig and use union types `| null` or optional chaining `?.`.

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Use type guards and typeof/instanceof checks

Create user-defined type guards and use `typeof`, `instanceof`, and `in` operators to narrow types.

Work on small projects

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Build a todo list app with basic CRUD

Create a simple web app that lets users add, edit, delete, and mark tasks as complete. Use plain TypeScript with DOM manipulation or a framework like React.

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Create a weather dashboard using fetch API

Call a free weather API (e.g., OpenWeatherMap), display current conditions and forecast, handle loading and error states.

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Implement a simple calculator with React (optional)

Set up a React project with TypeScript (`npx create-react-app my-app --template typescript`) and build a calculator UI.

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Develop a library of utility functions and publish to npm

Write reusable utilities (e.g., formatting, validation), configure `package.json`, run `npm publish` after testing.

Explore advanced TypeScript features

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Master generics in functions, classes, and interfaces

Write generic functions like `function identity<T>(arg: T): T` and generic classes/repositories.

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Use mapped types and conditional types

Learn `Record<K, T>`, `Pick<T, K>`, `Exclude<T, U>`, and conditional types `T extends U ? X : Y`.

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Work with utility types (Partial, Pick, Record, etc.)

Apply utility types to modify existing types, e.g., `Partial<User>` for update forms.

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Declare and augment modules

Use `declare module` to add typings for existing JS libraries or augment global scope.

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Understand declaration merging

Learn how interfaces, namespaces, and classes with the same name merge to produce a single type.

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Implement decorators and reflect metadata

Enable experimental decorators, create class decorators, and use `reflect-metadata` for dependency injection.

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Configure project references for monorepos

Set up `tsconfig.json` with `references` to share code between multiple packages in a monorepo.

Build a capstone project

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Choose a full-stack idea and plan features

Select a project like a task manager, define user stories, sketch API endpoints, and decide on tech stack.

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Set up backend with TypeScript Node.js and ORM

Initialize a Node.js project with TypeScript, install `express`, `typescript`, `@types/node`, and an ORM like Prisma or TypeORM. Connect to a database (PostgreSQL/SQLite).