TypeScript Standards

Type Safety

• Enable strict mode ("strict": true)
• Avoid any - use unknown when type is uncertain
• Prefer type for unions/intersections, interface for object shapes
• Use const assertions for literal types: as const
• Leverage discriminated unions for state machines

Prefer Modern Syntax

• Use const/let over var
• Arrow functions for callbacks and short functions
• Template literals over string concatenation
• Optional chaining (?.) and nullish coalescing (??)
• Destructuring for cleaner code

Functions

• Explicit return types for public APIs
• Use overloads for complex signatures
• Prefer pure functions when possible
• Keep functions small and focused (max ~20-30 lines)
• Use default parameters over conditional logic

Error Handling

• Use typed error classes
• Prefer Result/Either patterns for expected failures
• Throw for unexpected/unrecoverable errors
• Always type catch blocks: catch (error: unknown)

Async Code

• Prefer async/await over raw Promises
• Use Promise.all for parallel operations
• Handle rejection with try/catch or .catch()
• Avoid mixing callbacks and promises
• Consider Promise.allSettled when partial success is acceptable

Imports & Exports

• Use named exports for most cases
• Default exports only for main module entry
• Group imports: external, internal, types
• Use barrel files (index.ts) sparingly
• Prefer absolute imports with path aliases

Best Practices

• Avoid mutation when possible
• Use readonly for immutable data
• Prefer composition over inheritance
• Use generics for reusable type-safe code
• Validate external data at boundaries (Zod, etc.)