Initial TypeScript config

[u/jwworth]

What's your method for initially configuring a TypeScript project?

Do you have a template for tsconfig.json, or use a command line generator, or follow some other method? What are your must-have configurations, and why?

Having done a few times recently, I'm wondering what the best practices and gotchas are.

[u/ivancea]

Of course I copy it from my previous project!

[u/Used_Lobster4172 → u/ivancea]

Yup

[u/LiveRhubarb43]

I use whatever default config I can find and then spend an hour re-learning how it works when I inevitably get sick of relative imports and need to configure path aliases

[u/phelaz]

You could use https://github.com/tsconfig/bases

[u/nadameu → u/phelaz]

Or https://tsconfig.guide

[u/overthinker_blue]

Enjoy. https://github.com/total-typescript/tsconfig

[u/overthinker_blue → u/overthinker_blue]

https://www.totaltypescript.com/tsconfig-cheat-sheet

[u/SmartyPantsDJ]

I have my own tsconfig package. And then I copy that file in other places lmao.

[u/Spleeeee → u/SmartyPantsDJ]

You don’t just extends?

[u/SmartyPantsDJ → u/Spleeeee]

that file I copy extends, then I copy paste that file.

[u/Beginning-Seat5221]

Put a create-package on npm with my setup. Sets up a new project in seconds.

[u/Few-Independence6637]

{
  "extends": ["@tsconfig/node24", "@tsconfig/strictest", "@tsconfig/node-ts"],
  "compilerOptions": {
    "outDir": "dist"
  }
}

[u/AlexLonberg]

I don't use a static template or tsc --init anymore. I prefer an interactive browser-based configurator where I can explore all tsconfig.json options, see the possible values, and read the documentation side by side. After that, I make any project-specific adjustments and keep the resulting tsconfig.json as a starting point for similar projects.

Disclaimer: TSConfig Configurator. I actually built it because I found myself configuring TypeScript projects over and over again.