Vue.js 3.0 and TypeScript are a powerful alliance

Vue.js 3.0 will bring improved support to TypeScript users, including native support for class-based components and better type inference. But you can now start writing Vue applications using TypeScript using Vue CLI, the command line tool of Vue.

Advantages of Class-based Components and TypeScript

The class-based components in Vue.js can be written using the TypeScript class, which provides better type checking and maintainability. These classes can be declared using the vue-property-decorator decorator in the @Component package.

vue-property-decorator package can further enhance class-based components. These include @Prop for declaring props as class attributes, @Emit for emitting events from class methods, and @Watch for creating observers.

Advantages of TypeScript and Vue.js

TypeScript is used in conjunction with Vue.js with multiple advantages, including static type checking for early detection of errors, better autocomplete, navigation and refactoring services, and providing more structured and extensible code for complex applications library.

Last September, Evan You (the creator of Vue.js) announced plans for the next major version of the library. Vue 3.0 will bring an improved experience to TypeScript users, including native support for class-based components, and better support for type inference when writing code.

The good news is that you don't have to wait until the release of 3.0 (expected in Q3 2019) to start writing Vue apps using TypeScript. Vue's command line tool Vue CLI provides the option to start a project using the preconfigured TypeScript build tool and includes the officially supported vue-class-component module that allows you to write Vue components as TypeScript classes.

This article assumes that you are familiar with the basics of Vue and TypeScript. Let's see how you start leveraging static typing and class-based components today.

Create Vue TypeScript Project

One of the obstacles to getting started with TypeScript may be configuring the necessary build tools. Thankfully, Vue CLI solved this problem for us. We can use it to create a project for us where the TypeScript compiler is set up and ready.

Let's briefly introduce the process of using TypeScript to support creating new Vue projects.

Run the following command from the terminal/command line (and assuming you have Node.js installed) to install Vue CLI globally:

npm install -g @vue/cli

Next, let's create a new project and specify the project name:

vue create vue-typescript-demo

This will also be the name of the subfolder for the installation project. After pressing Enter, you will be prompted to select the default preset or manually select the option to install.

Select the manual option and you will see a further set of options. The necessary option is of course TypeScript, but you may also want to choose Vuex as we'll look at some Vuex-specific decorators later.

After selecting the project option, the next screen will ask you if you want to use class style component syntax. Say "yes" to this. You will then be asked if you want to "use Babel with TypeScript for polyfills for automatic detection". This is a good idea for projects that you will support older browsers. Answer the rest of the questions as needed and the installation process should begin.

Instructions on Editor/IDE Support

Many code editors and IDEs now support TypeScript. In paid solutions, JetBrains software (such as WebStorm, PhpStorm) has excellent support for both Vue and TypeScript. If you're looking for a free alternative, I recommend Microsoft's Visual Studio Code: In conjunction with the Vetur extension, it provides excellent autocomplete and type checking.

Class-based components

Let's first look at how to write Vue components using classes. While this feature is not limited to TypeScript, using class-based components helps TS to provide better type checking, and in my opinion, it makes the components simpler and easier to maintain.

Let's look at the syntax. If you followed the steps in the previous section and created a new project using the Vue CLI, go to the project directory, go to the src subfolder, and open App.vue. What we are interested here is the <script> section because it is the only different part from the standard Vue Single File Component (SFC).

npm install -g @vue/cli

Note that the <script> tag itself has the ts attribute set to lang. This is very important for the build tool and your editor to correctly interpret the code as TypeScript.

In order to declare a class-based component, you need to create a class that extends Vue (here it is imported directly from the vue-property-decorator package instead of the vue module).

Class declarations need to start with @Component decorator:

vue create vue-typescript-demo

You may have noticed that in the code from the App.vue component, the decorator can also accept an object that can be used to specify component, props, and filter options:

import { Component, Vue } from 'vue-property-decorator';
import HelloWorld from './components/HelloWorld.vue';

@Component({
  components: {
    HelloWorld,
  },
})
export default class App extends Vue {}

Data attributes

When declaring an object-based component, you will be familiar with functions that must declare the component's data properties as returning a data object:

@Component
class MyComponent extends Vue {}

…For class-based components, we can declare data attributes as normal class attributes:

@Component({
  components: { MyChildComponent },
  props: {
    id: {
      type: String,
      required: true
    }
  },
  filters: {
    currencyFormatter
  }
})
class MyComponent extends Vue {}

Computing properties

Another advantage of using classes as components is the cleaner syntax for declaring computed properties, using the getter method:

{
  data: () => ({
    todos: [],
  })
}

Similarly, you can create writable computed properties by using the setter method:

@Component
class TodoList extends Vue {
  todos: [];
}

Method

Component methods can be declared in a similarly concise way, as class methods:

npm install -g @vue/cli

In my opinion, the simple syntax for declaring methods, data attributes, and computed attributes makes writing and reading class-based components better than the original object-based components.

Decorators

We can go a step further and use the additional decorator provided by the vue-property-decorator package. It provides six additional decorators for writing class-based components:

• @Emit
• @Inject
• @Model
• @Prop
• @Provide
• @Watch

Let's take a look at the three you might find the most useful.

@Prop

You can declare your props as a class property using the @Prop decorator instead of passing the props configuration object to the @Component decorator.

vue create vue-typescript-demo

Like other decorators, @Prop can accept various parameters, including type, type array or option object:

import { Component, Vue } from 'vue-property-decorator';
import HelloWorld from './components/HelloWorld.vue';

@Component({
  components: {
    HelloWorld,
  },
})
export default class App extends Vue {}

When used with TypeScript, you should add a non-empty operator (!) to your prop name to tell the compiler that the prop will have non-empty values ??(because TS does not know that these values ??will be passed to when initializing the component In the component):

@Component
class MyComponent extends Vue {}

Note that as shown above, you can completely put the decorator and attribute declaration on one line if you prefer.

@Emit

Another convenient decorator is @Emit, which allows you to issue events from any class method. The emitted event will use the method's name (the camelCase name will be converted to kebab-case), unless the alternative event name is passed to the decorator.

If the method returns a value, the value will be issued as the payload of the event, as well as any parameters passed to the method.

@Component({
  components: { MyChildComponent },
  props: {
    id: {
      type: String,
      required: true
    }
  },
  filters: {
    currencyFormatter
  }
})
class MyComponent extends Vue {}

The above code will emit a add-todo event with the payload of the value of this.newTodo.

@Watch

Creating an observer with this decorator is very simple. It accepts two parameters: the name of the observed property and an optional option object.

{
  data: () => ({
    todos: [],
  })
}

Summary

I hope this article shows you that it is not necessarily laborious to start writing Vue applications using TypeScript. By starting a new project using the CLI, you can quickly set up the necessary build tools. Including support for class-based components and additional decorators will enable you to write concise, idiomatic TypeScript right away!

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FAQs (FAQ) about class-based Vue.js using TypeScript

What are the benefits of using TypeScript and Vue.js?

TypeScript provides static typing, which can be a significant advantage when developing large applications. It helps catch errors early in the development process, making the code more robust and easier to maintain. TypeScript also provides better automatic completion, navigation and reconstruction services to make the development process more efficient. When used with Vue.js, TypeScript allows for a more structured and extensible code base, making it easier to manage and develop complex applications.

How to set up a Vue.js project using TypeScript?

Setting up a Vue.js project with TypeScript involves several steps. First, if you don't have Vue CLI installed, you need to install it. Then, use the Vue CLI to create a new project and select TypeScript as the feature during the creation process. The Vue CLI will set up the TypeScript configuration for you. You can then start writing Vue components using TypeScript.

What are the class-based components in Vue.js?

The class-based components in Vue.js is a way to define components using ES6 classes. This approach can make your components easier to read and understand, especially for developers from a background in object-oriented programming. Class-based components also work well with TypeScript, allowing you to take advantage of TypeScript's capabilities, such as static types and interfaces.

How to use TypeScript to define a class-based component in Vue.js?

To define class-based components using TypeScript in Vue.js, you need to use the vue-class-component decorator. This decorator allows you to write components as ES6 classes. In a class, you can define data, methods, and lifecycle hooks as you would in a regular Vue component.

Can I use the Vue.js directive in a class-based component?

Yes, you can use the Vue.js directive in class-based components. The syntax is the same as in regular Vue components. You can use v-model, v-if, v-for and other instructions in the template.

How to use props in class-based components?

In a class-based component, you can define props using the @Prop decorator. This decorator allows you to specify the type of prop and whether it is required or has a default value.

How to use computed properties in a class-based component?

In a class-based component, you can define computed properties as a getter method in a class. The result of the getter method will be cached and recalculated only if its dependencies change.

How to use observers in class-based components?

In a class-based component, you can use the @Watch decorator to define observers. This decorator allows you to specify the attributes to observe and the methods to be called when the attribute changes.

Can I use mixin in a class-based component?

Yes, you can use mixin in class-based components. You can define mixin as a class and include it in your component using the @Mixins decorator.

How to use the Vue.js combination API with TypeScript?

Vue.js combination API works well with TypeScript. You can define your reactive data and functions within the setup method and set the type for it using TypeScript. This allows you to take advantage of TypeScript's static typing and autocomplete capabilities to make your code more robust and easier to develop.

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