Ts-loader: Improve architecture of the loader.

Created on 16 Nov 2016 · 8Comments · Source: TypeStrong/ts-loader

Hey all. I want to suggest you some improvements, please tell me what do you think about it.

I think that typescript loader should not be loader at all :) I think it should be plugin + loader, where plugin startup tsserver, and loader communicate with it (as vscode do). This improvement could significant improve performance of the build, because typescript compilation process would not break webpack process, as tssserver would start in separate process.

wontfix

Source

Strate

Most helpful comment

I've already tried this approach in awesome-typescript-loader, I can share the code with you. In fact, it significantly _slower_ (2-3 times) in webpack cases and also right now tsserver don't have commands to emit files with response back to client:

https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/issues/11468

s-panferov on 17 Nov 2016

👍4

All 8 comments

Sounds interesting - I'm guessing this would significantly increase the complexity though? I'm not familiar with VSCode's codebase and so can't say I understand the implications of the proposed change.

johnnyreilly on 16 Nov 2016

Of coulrse this would increase complexity, we should interop with tsserver, this could be tricky.

Strate on 16 Nov 2016

Feel free to have a go implementing this in a fork. I'd be really interested to see what the results look like. We could take a view then as to whether any added complexity "earns it keep" in terms of performance / stability. Could be interesting!

johnnyreilly on 16 Nov 2016

Why? I wonder.
tsserver is based on typescript service, so you will not gain performance benefit if ts-loader is optimally implemented. For example, ts-loader also implements a selective compilation like tsserver. I think you know the best :). https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-loader/pull/187/files

Using tsserver means you will lose a lot of customization available only in service. Also, vscode is a code editor. But ts-loader is a webpack loader. They are fundamentally different.

HerringtonDarkholme on 17 Nov 2016

https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/issues/11468

s-panferov on 17 Nov 2016

👍4

Thanks for sharing that link @s-panferov - I'd not seen that conversation

johnnyreilly on 17 Nov 2016

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.