Learning TypeScript with AI: A Journey Worth Taking

I’ve wanted to learn TypeScript for a while now and, like a lot of developers lately, I’ve been diving into AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. There’s a lot of talk about how AI could reshape our lives and careers, and many wonder if it’ll eventually take over programming altogether. I’m finding something different. For me, AI isn’t doing the heavy lifting on its own; it needs guidance, prompts, and sometimes a bit of debugging TLC. But as a learning partner? It’s been a game-changer.

So, with TypeScript in my sights and AI as my mentor, I decided to give it a go.

Getting Started: Setting Up the Challenge

A project is my favorite way to learn anything new. I hunted around the web for coding challenges to help me pick up TypeScript but didn’t find anything that clicked. So I turned to ChatGPT, explaining my background in Python and DevOps, and asked for a challenge that would suit my experience level. In seconds, it recommended building a task list app. It sounded ambitious but fun, so I dove right in!

How I Made It Work

I came to TypeScript with only a basic idea: it’s like JavaScript but with static typing. I didn’t know much more about JavaScript. I wanted to keep things simple, though—learning TypeScript, not all the fancy libraries out there. Still, I’m a sucker for a good ORM, so after asking around, I decided on Drizzle as my go-to.

Here’s where AI really became an ally. Rather than relying on it to do everything, I challenged myself to find answers using search engines, relying on AI only when I hit a wall. That balance let me control my learning pace and gave me the “aha!” moments I needed. When I asked ChatGPT questions, they were usually about conventions or why one method was better than another. AI used my Python knowledge to help me draw parallels and connect the dots in TypeScript.

Even if you’re brand new to coding, I think this approach could work wonders. With AI, you don’t just have a mentor; you have a patient, 24/7 guide that’s ready to help whenever you need.

The Result: My First TypeScript Project

I’m proud to share what I built! It’s rough around the edges, a little messy, but it’s mine—and more importantly, I learned a ton. You can check it out here: Task List App on GitLab.

I’m excited to keep going. This AI-guided journey has transformed the way I learn, and now I’ve got a dedicated repository where I can take on more coding challenges and keep expanding my TypeScript skills.

So if you’re thinking about diving into a new language, don’t just rely on tutorials or books. Give AI a shot—it might just be the perfect mentor you never knew you needed.