Microsoft has made a major announcement in the world of programming languages, unveiling a new native compiler for TypeScript based on the Go language. This move marks a significant shift in the architectural direction of TypeScript, promising substantial improvements in compilation speed, developer experience, and productivity.

Until now, the TypeScript compiler, tsc, was written in TypeScript itself, compiled to JavaScript, and run on top of Node.js. However, the new compiler will be a stand-alone native binary, leveraging the Go language to deliver a considerable acceleration in compiling large projects. According to Microsoft's announcement, code compilation can be up to 10 times faster than before, with Visual Studio Code's 1.5 million lines of code taking only 7.5 seconds to compile, compared to 78 seconds with the current tool.

The new compiler's speed will enable developers to treat it like .NET's Roslyn, adding the ability to use the compiler inside development tools to dynamically debug code as it's written or to work more closely with GitHub's Copilot and similar tools. This will make TypeScript more accessible, improving both developer productivity and satisfaction. With the ability to refactor across the entire Visual Studio Code code base, developers will be able to work more efficiently and effectively.

The update also adds support for the Language Server Protocol, allowing more IDEs and programmers' editors to add support for TypeScript. Additionally, Microsoft notes significant improvements in memory usage, with a 50% reduction in overhead by removing the need to run a compiler on a just-in-time platform. This will have a positive impact on tools and environments for building TypeScript applications, particularly in virtual environments such as GitHub Codespaces and Azure Dev Spaces.

Development of the new TypeScript compiler is happening in the open on GitHub, with a separate repository from the JavaScript release. Although there isn't a public binary release yet, developers can build their own tools using the current code base. Microsoft provides instructions for building the Go-based TypeScript compiler and language server, making it relatively straightforward to get started.

The new language server is also available, although it's not yet hooked up to any new development tool. However, it can be installed in Visual Studio Code to demonstrate its capabilities in parsing changes to TypeScript code. This will allow third-party extension developers to build their own extension tools on top of the new compiler, further expanding the ecosystem.

The community is already showing interest in the project, with pull requests coming in to improve performance in other areas of the platform. This early involvement is a promising sign for the project's future, demonstrating both community buy-in and the popularity of the platform.

Microsoft's investment in developer productivity through its compilers is a significant step forward. The recent resurgence of .NET is attributed, in part, to its Roslyn compiler, and it appears that these TypeScript updates will offer similar benefits. With a fast compiler, developers can leverage modern development tools to deliver real-time error corrections and provide a deep understanding of compiled code necessary for techniques like refactoring.

In conclusion, Microsoft's new native TypeScript compiler based on Go has the potential to revolutionize the way developers work with TypeScript. With its promise of 10x faster compilation, improved memory usage, and expanded ecosystem capabilities, this update is a significant win for developers and the broader technology community.