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Basic Types in TypeScript

Let's start with something simple - types are like labels we put on our toys to keep them organized!

What's a Type?​

Imagine you have different kinds of toys:

  • Some are numbers (like 5, 42, 100)
  • Some are text (like "hello", "TypeScript")
  • Some are yes/no answers (true or false)

In TypeScript, we tell the computer what kind of toy (data) we're playing with:

// Numbers
let age: number = 5;

// Text (we call this "string")
let name: string = "Tommy";

// Yes/No (we call this "boolean")
let likesIceCream: boolean = true;

Why Do We Need Types?​

Types help us:

  1. Avoid mistakes (like trying to add numbers to text)
  2. Get help from our computer when coding
  3. Make our code easier to understand

Try It Yourself!​

Can you spot what's wrong here?

let age: number = "five"; // ❌ Oops! Text isn't a number
let age: number = 5;      // ✅ That's better!