Harnessing Type Annotations for Functions in TypeScript

Saurabh Mhatre
2 min readJun 5, 2023

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Harnessing Type Annotations for Functions in TypeScript

TypeScript’s type annotations extend beyond variable declarations. They are equally powerful when applied to function parameters, return types, and even the functions themselves. In this article, we will delve into TypeScript’s type annotations for functions, exploring their benefits and demonstrating how they enhance code clarity and type safety.

1. Function Parameter Type Annotations:
- Type annotations specify the expected types for function parameters.
- They ensure that the correct types are passed as arguments to functions.
Example:



function greet(name: string, age: number): void {
console.log(`Hello, ${name}! You are ${age} years old.`);
}
greet("Alice", 25);

2. Function Return Type Annotations:
- Type annotations define the expected return type of a function.
- They ensure that the function returns the correct type of value.
Example:



function multiply(a: number, b: number): number {
return a * b;
}
const result: number = multiply(5, 10);
console.log(result);

3. Optional and Default Parameters:
- Type annotations can be combined with optional and default parameters.
- Optional parameters are denoted with a `?` and have a `undefined` default value.
- Default parameters have an assigned default value.
Example:


function createFullName(firstName: string, lastName?: string): string {
if (lastName) {
return `${firstName} ${lastName}`;
}
return firstName;
}
const fullName1: string = createFullName("John", "Doe");
const fullName2: string = createFullName("Alice");
console.log(fullName1);
console.log(fullName2);

4. Function Type Annotations:
- Type annotations can describe function types using the `(params) => returnType` syntax.
- This allows variables to store functions with specific parameter and return types.

Example:

type MathOperation = (a: number, b: number) => number;
const add: MathOperation = (a, b) => a + b;
const subtract: MathOperation = (a, b) => a — b;
console.log(add(5, 3));
console.log(subtract(8, 2));

5. Higher-Order Functions:
- Higher-order functions accept or return other functions with specific types.
- Type annotations facilitate the definition and usage of higher-order functions.

Example:

type Transformer = (value: string) => string;
function applyTransformation(value: string, transformer: Transformer): string {
return transformer(value);
}
const capitalize: Transformer = (str) => str.toUpperCase();
const result: string = applyTransformation(“hello”, capitalize);
console.log(result);

TypeScript’s type annotations provide invaluable support when applied to function parameters, return types, and even function types themselves. By leveraging these annotations, developers can achieve enhanced code clarity, facilitate type-checking, and enforce proper usage of functions throughout their applications. Embrace the power of type annotations for functions in TypeScript to enhance code quality and maintainability.

That’s it from my end for today. Have a nice day ahead :D

P.S. Check out my Youtube channel here for more content:- https://youtube.com/@SaurabhNative

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Saurabh Mhatre
Saurabh Mhatre

Written by Saurabh Mhatre

Senior Frontend Developer with 9+ years industry experience. Content creator on Youtube and Medium. LinkedIn/Twitter/Instagram: @SaurabhNative

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