Node.js now runs TypeScript files natively (type‑stripping enabled in LTS)

Key update

Node.js ships native TypeScript execution via “type‑stripping” (you can run node file.ts) — the feature was unflagged in the Current branch (v23.6.0) and is enabled by default in the LTS releases (notably the v22.18.0 LTS release notes). (nodejs.org)

Why it matters

This is a practical shift for developer workflows: it eliminates the mandatory transpile step for quick iteration and ad‑hoc scripts, shortening feedback loops and simplifying minimal containers or CI jobs. However, it does not replace TypeScript’s type checking or all build responsibilities — Node’s type‑stripping removes type syntax at runtime but ignores tsconfig-based transforms (path aliases, emit targets, some experimental syntax), and production builds that need deterministic output, bundling, tree‑shaking, or optimised JS should still use a proper build step and tsc/emit pipeline. For most teams the immediate win is faster local dev and simpler tooling for small services; for production you should keep type checks in CI, validate tsconfig-dependent features, and measure runtime performance/compatibility before dropping build steps entirely. (nodejs.org)

Source

• Source