TypeScript 6.0 is ready: On the way to Go-based TypeScript 7.0

After beta and release candidate phases, TypeScript 6.0 has now been officially released. The release is intended to bridge the gap between the previously used JavaScript codebase of the programming language and the switch to a Go base starting with TypeScript 7.0.

JavaScript conference by heise: enterJS 2026

Tools and trends in the JavaScript world: enterJS 2026 will take place on June 16 and 17 in Mannheim. The program revolves around JavaScript and TypeScript, frameworks, tools and libraries, security, UX, and more. Early bird tickets are available in the online ticket shop.

TypeScript 7.0 nearing completion

Microsoft plans to move the programming language in version 7.0 to a Go-based backend for the compiler and language service. This is expected to bring significant performance advantages compared to the JavaScript codebase. According to the plan, TypeScript 6.0 is the last release with a JavaScript codebase and is designed to prepare developers for the transition and to bridge the gap between TypeScript 5.9 and TypeScript 7.0.

According to the manufacturer, TypeScript 7.0 is “extremely close to completion”. Microsoft is calling on developers using TypeScript 6.0 to try out the Native Previews of TypeScript 7.0. These are available in Visual Studio Code and via npm.

Support for the Temporal API in TypeScript 6.0

Among the updates in TypeScript 6.0 is that the option es2025 can now be used for both target and lib. While no new JavaScript language features are included in ES2025, the new target adds new types for built-in APIs and moves some declarations from esnext to es2025, according to Microsoft. In addition to other updates, the new flag --stableTypeOrdering can be used, which is intended to support migration to version 7.0.

The standardization committee for JavaScript, TC39, developed the Temporal API to address difficulties in handling time and date. The proposal has now reached Stage 4, meaning the proposal is complete and will be incorporated into the standard in the future – presumably this year. Many browsers already support the Temporal API: from Firefox version 139 and Chrome version 144. The JavaScript superset TypeScript can also handle it in version 6.0. The new release offers integrated types for using the API via --target esnext or "lib": ["esnext"].

Microsoft shares further details about the new language version TypeScript 6.0 on its developer blog.

(mai)