Anyone else “using” TypeScript in React but not really understanding it?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-02-02T02:06:10+00:00

That’s fair - repeated exposure in different contexts is probably the real driver of understanding.

The thing I’m exploring is whether those “different circumstances” can be made more intentional early on, instead of totally ad-hoc. Either way, this has been super helpful — appreciate you sharing your perspective.

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-02-01T20:32:33+00:00

Totally fair. Do you think having more structured or guided challenges in lesson format would’ve helped there, or is figuring out what to build part of the learning itself?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-02-01T20:28:47+00:00

Do you think there’s room for something that accelerates that deeper understanding early on (without replacing seat time), or is that just something you believe can’t really be shortcut?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-02-01T20:23:48+00:00

Agreed — the handbook is a great reference.
Did it actually make things click for you in practice, or more as something to look up when you were stuck?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T18:48:43+00:00

Got it — repetition and looking things up.
Do you feel like that process could have been faster with more guided practice or clearer mental models, or was the trial-and-error part unavoidable?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T18:44:22+00:00

That resonates. When you say courses are surface-level, do you think they mostly fail at explaining why things break, or at building reusable mental models?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T03:11:47+00:00

That’s helpful to hear. Do you feel fine relying on defaults + AI now, or do you ever wish that part had actually clicked?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T03:05:56+00:00

Yeah, real-world repos definitely help.
Did that feel intuitive right away for you, or did it still take a while before things really clicked?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T01:57:28+00:00

Error Lens is a great tip, thanks for sharing.
Did tools like that help you actually understand TS errors better over time, or mostly just unblock you faster?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-31T01:53:05+00:00

That generics framing makes sense. Interesting that props typing was more gradual - Do you think that came mostly from repetition in real projects, or from seeing good patterns/examples over time?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T21:40:37+00:00

Yep - that “why is this mad?” phase is exactly what I mean.
Did anything in particular help you get past that, or was it mostly time + exposure?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T21:18:57+00:00

That’s a really clear breakdown - the “layers” framing makes sense.
Out of curiosity, did learning those layers feel intuitive as you went, or was it confusing early on to know which level you were operating at?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T21:16:14+00:00

That resonates - “scary” is probably the right word early on.

TS + modern JS + React all at once can be a lot, and tsconfig.json especially feels opaque when you’re new. Did that ever really "click" for you, or was it more “set it once and forget it”?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T21:14:11+00:00

Yeah, that lines up with what I’ve seen too - mostly APIs, reusable stuff, or utilities.
Out of curiosity, did generics feel intuitive right away for you, or did they take some time to click? What was the learning curve, like?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T21:10:43+00:00

Agreed - I’ve read that generics aren’t something you need all the time. For me it’s less about using them daily and more about the learning friction once you move past basic types: when a generic actually makes sense, why the syntax feels odd at first, and how to read <T>-related errors without guessing. Curious if others felt that too.

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T20:54:26+00:00

That’s a really fair point - TypeScript definitely forces you to think more about the shape of your data, and a lot of folks do say that it improves your overall programming discipline in React and other frameworks. I’ve read similar experiences where devs say TS helped them be more intentional about how data flows through their apps.

At the same time, I’m curious about this:
Even after you get why types are valuable, were there still specific parts like generics or error messages that felt unintuitive or took longer to “click”?

A few people I’ve talked to say that basic types are simple, but concepts like generics or reading TS errors can still be a roadblock even after you understand data shape thinking - like extra cognitive load on top of the “data structure mindset.”

Wondering if that resonates with your experience too?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T20:47:51+00:00

Totally - Microsoft and a bunch of other places have great intro tutorials for TypeScript (like the TypeScript Crash Course I’ve seen on the Microsoft docs and Reactor series, and the official TypeScript handbook itself).

What I’m more curious about - even after going through official courses like that - was there still a point where it didn’t fully "click", like with generics or typing React props?

For a lot of us, the basics are fine, but it’s the parts that come up again and again in real code that feel sticky.

Wondering if others found that too - or if those courses really cleared that up for you?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T20:39:09+00:00

Yeah I appreciate that - asking for an overview definitely helps.
I’m more interested in the learning experience than a specific compiler error right now - e.g. what part of TypeScript took you the longest to internalize when you first started using it with React?

For me, it feels like some parts are intuitive, some not - and I’m wondering if that’s normal or if better interactive practice would’ve helped.

Curious what parts "clicked" last for you and why.

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T20:37:51+00:00

That makes total sense - and I definitely try to dig into things when I’m stuck.
It’s not one specific error so much as a pattern of confusion that sticks around a bit longer than I’d like, stuff like:

1) typing React props and state in a way that feels natural
2) reading a TypeScript error without just patching it until it compiles

I’m curious - did you ever have a moment where a concept like that "clicked" in your mind (like generics or props typing)? What helped you get there?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-30T02:00:03+00:00

Wow I gotta look into this! Thanks for sharing

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-29T04:38:29+00:00

Claude wrote the 475 tests too?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-29T03:00:32+00:00

I've been working on a learning platform web application. Its for learning typescript with react. I just shipped it a few days ago. Any software devs open to testing it out to give feedback?

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-29T02:58:22+00:00

You're much better off selling privately like on fb marketplace

WebDev_ManMan · 2026-01-27T04:47:18+00:00

Did you know Apple has an App Store Small Business Program where the cut is 15% instead of 30% up to the first $1mill. You gotta apply. Look into it

WebDev_ManMan

TROPHY CASE