Getting Started with Astro and TypeScript

Astro is a modern static site generator that allows you to build fast, content-focused websites. Combined with TypeScript, it provides an excellent developer experience with type safety and modern tooling.

Why Choose Astro?

Astro offers several advantages for building modern websites:

• Zero JavaScript by default: Astro ships zero JavaScript to the browser by default, making your sites incredibly fast
• Framework agnostic: Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any other framework you prefer
• Island Architecture: Load JavaScript only where needed
• Built-in optimizations: Automatic image optimization, CSS bundling, and more

Setting Up Your First Project

Getting started with Astro is straightforward. Here’s how to create your first project:

npm create astro@latest
cd my-astro-project
npm install
npm run dev

Adding TypeScript Support

Astro comes with TypeScript support out of the box. Simply create .astro files and start using TypeScript in your component scripts:

---
interface Props {
  title: string;
  description: string;
}

const { title, description } = Astro.props;
---

<div>
  <h1>{title}</h1>
  <p>{description}</p>
</div>

Best Practices

Here are some best practices when working with Astro:

1. Keep components simple: Focus on content and structure
2. Use TypeScript interfaces: Define clear prop types for your components
3. Optimize images: Use Astro’s built-in image optimization
4. Leverage static generation: Pre-render pages at build time for maximum performance

Conclusion

Astro and TypeScript make a powerful combination for building modern, fast websites. The zero-JavaScript approach ensures optimal performance, while TypeScript provides the developer experience and type safety we need for maintainable code.

Ready to start building? Check out the Astro documentation to learn more!