TypeScript 7 Native Preview Now Available in Visual Studio 2026 Insiders
Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi introduces developers to the TypeScript 7 native preview in Visual Studio 2026 Insiders, outlining the setup process, performance benchmarks, known limitations, and feedback channels.
TypeScript 7 Native Preview Now Available in Visual Studio 2026 Insiders
Author: Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi
Introduction
Developers using Visual Studio 2026 Insiders can now try out the new TypeScript 7 native preview. Announced by Anders Hejlsberg and Daniel Rosenwasser, this release brings substantial improvements to compile times and memory usage when working on large TypeScript projects.
What is TypeScript 7 Native Preview?
TypeScript 7 native preview is a native port of the TypeScript compiler and language tools, aiming to speed up the development workflow:
- Faster Compile Times: Real-world projects such as VS Code, Playwright, TypeORM, and RxJS have seen up to 10x faster compilation.
- Reduced Memory Footprint: The compiler now uses significantly less memory.
- Improved Developer Experience: Operations like “Find All References” and “Go To Definition” in the IDE are faster, especially for large codebases.
| Project | Lines of Code | Current Compile Time | Native Compile Time | Speedup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VS Code | 1,505,000 | 77.8s | 7.5s | 10.4x |
| Playwright | 356,000 | 11.1s | 1.1s | 10.1x |
| TypeORM | 270,000 | 17.5s | 1.3s | 13.5x |
| date-fns | 104,000 | 6.5s | 0.7s | 9.5x |
| tRPC | 18,000 | 5.5s | 0.6s | 9.1x |
| rxjs | 2,100 | 1.1s | 0.1s | 11.0x |
These benchmarks represent data from March.
How to Enable TypeScript Native Preview
- Install Visual Studio 2026 Insiders Preview: Download here
- Update Your Project:
- Edit
package.jsonand replace thetypescriptpackage with@typescript/native-preview. - Use Visual Studio’s IntelliSense for package selection.
- Edit
- Handle Dependencies:
- Check for and remove other dependencies that may bring in older TypeScript versions. Consult your
package-lock.jsonto identify these.
- Check for and remove other dependencies that may bring in older TypeScript versions. Consult your
- Clean and Reinstall:
- Delete the
node_modulesfolder. - Run
npm install.
- Delete the
- Restart the IDE:
- Close and reopen Visual Studio to ensure the new language service is in use.
- Verify:
- Open a TypeScript file and check the Output window’s IntelliSense tab for the version information.
Known Issues and Limitations
This is an early-stage preview and the JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem is actively adapting:
- Dependency Conflicts: Some packages may require older TypeScript versions, possibly causing build errors.
- Editor Integration Gaps: Some editor features may be incomplete, such as Quick Fixes and code colorization.
- Component File Issues: Editing HTML component files may show unrelated warnings/errors.
Providing Feedback
- TypeScript Compiler/Language Service Issues: Report to TypeScript Go GitHub repo.
- Visual Studio-specific Issues: Use the Developer Community portal to report bugs or suggest features (how to report).
For more on the vision behind the native TypeScript port:
Conclusion
This release represents a significant milestone for TypeScript and Visual Studio users, especially those working on larger projects. Developers are encouraged to try the new native preview, keep an eye on known issues, and share feedback to help improve the tooling.
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