How similar are C# and TypeScript?

C# and TypeScript share many similarities, primarily because they both originate from the C-family of languages and were influenced by Anders Hejlsberg, the lead architect behind both. Their syntax, object-oriented programming (OOP) principles, and async capabilities make them feel familiar to developers transitioning between the two.

Both languages use curly braces {} and semicolons ;, support classes and interfaces, and offer modern programming features like async/await, lambda expressions (=>), and nullability operators (?, !, ??). These similarities allow developers with experience in C# to easily adopt TypeScript and vice versa.

Key Similarities

• Syntax & Control Structures: Both use C-like syntax, supporting if, else, switch, for, while, and do-while loops.

• Classes & Interfaces: Both follow OOP principles, including inheritance, encapsulation, and access modifiers (public, private).

• Asynchronous Programming: Both support async/await for handling asynchronous tasks.

• Nullability Handling: Both provide null safety mechanisms like optional chaining (?), null-coalescing (??), and non-null assertion (!).

Key Differences

While C# and TypeScript share a foundation, they serve different purposes and have fundamental differences in their type systems and execution models:

• Static vs. Flexible Typing:

• • C# is strictly statically typed with strong compile-time type checking.

  • TypeScript is structurally typed, allowing union types and type inference, making it more flexible.

• Compilation & Execution:

• • C# requires compilation into Common Intermediate Language (CIL) before execution in the .NET runtime.

  • TypeScript compiles down to JavaScript, which runs in browsers or Node.js environments.

• Decorators & Metadata:

• • TypeScript includes decorators, commonly used in frameworks like Angular.

  • C# uses attributes instead, serving a similar purpose.

• Use Cases:

• • C# is primarily used for backend development, enterprise applications, and game development (Unity).

  • TypeScript is dominant in frontend web development, improving JavaScript’s maintainability and scalability.