What advantages do interfaces as data types offer in Angular compared to using classes?

Question

What advantages do interfaces as data types offer in Angular compared to using classes?

After watching a tutorial from my teacher, he showed us this code snippet:

https://i.sstatic.net/MA3Z9.png

He mentioned that the products array, defined as type any [], is not taking advantage of TypeScript's strongly typing. He suggested using an INTERFACE instead. I have a question though, why didn't he create a class and define the products array with that class type?

According to him, Interfaces are meant to provide strong typing and tooling support.. Hence, he created this interface:

https://i.sstatic.net/BMO69.png

I'm puzzled as to why he opted for an Interface as the data type here instead of a class like:

export class Product .. and then use products : Product [] ..

So, I can't wrap my head around why Interface is considered better here than a class for data type?

Apologies for the screenshots instead of actual code, as his video lessons are hosted online.

Thanks

javascript angular typescript types

Answer 1

Answer №1

Perhaps perusing this article penned by James Henry could shed light on the matter at hand. To summarize:

Interfaces, unlike classes, are eliminated entirely during compilation, thereby avoiding any superfluous additions to our ultimate JavaScript code.

Answer 2

Perhaps perusing this article penned by James Henry could shed light on the matter at hand. To summarize:

Interfaces, unlike classes, are eliminated entirely during compilation, thereby avoiding any superfluous additions to our ultimate JavaScript code.

Answer 3

Answer №2

Consider interfaces as a map for your object — a concise guide that ensures a specific set of fields / methods will be accessible on objects labeled with that interface. They offer a way to utilize strong typing while keeping your code efficient. Interfaces are solely for enhancing code readability and reducing errors, without impacting the program's functionality at runtime.

If you require detailed implementation specifics like getter / setter logic or method definitions, then a class would be more suitable. For instance, if the calculateDiscount() method in your example is universal across all Products, using a class might be a better choice in this scenario.

Answer 4

Consider interfaces as a map for your object — a concise guide that ensures a specific set of fields / methods will be accessible on objects labeled with that interface. They offer a way to utilize strong typing while keeping your code efficient. Interfaces are solely for enhancing code readability and reducing errors, without impacting the program's functionality at runtime.

If you require detailed implementation specifics like getter / setter logic or method definitions, then a class would be more suitable. For instance, if the calculateDiscount() method in your example is universal across all Products, using a class might be a better choice in this scenario.

Answer 5

Answer №3

In TypeScript, classes can serve as interfaces while interfaces cannot function as classes. The decision between using them is usually based on the principle of simplicity.

Examples like

class Vehicle implements Car {...}

and

const myCar: Car = {...};

are quite common in programming.

However, when a class is declared, it implies that an instance of it or one of its subclasses will be created. Failing to instantiate it would be misleading, as this is what interfaces are designed for.

In frameworks like Angular, abstract classes are often used to define blueprints that are not intended for instantiation. This is because abstract classes can act as both interfaces and dependency injection tokens.

Answer 6

In TypeScript, classes can serve as interfaces while interfaces cannot function as classes. The decision between using them is usually based on the principle of simplicity.

Examples like

class Vehicle implements Car {...}

and

const myCar: Car = {...};

are quite common in programming.

However, when a class is declared, it implies that an instance of it or one of its subclasses will be created. Failing to instantiate it would be misleading, as this is what interfaces are designed for.

In frameworks like Angular, abstract classes are often used to define blueprints that are not intended for instantiation. This is because abstract classes can act as both interfaces and dependency injection tokens.

What advantages do interfaces as data types offer in Angular compared to using classes?

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Similar questions

Utilize Material UI's Datagrid or XGrid components to customize the rendering

Steps for developing a versatile function Component

Is there a way to extract only the desired array object from a post API response using Angular's filtering mechanism?

Securely transmit data using a JQuery modal dialog form with HTTPS encryption

Exclude a file in Typescript, regardless of its import status

Angular2 - Model not being refreshed by Directive

Error: The call stack has reached its maximum size while running an npm install

It is impossible for me to invoke a method within a function

Different from SimplyScroll but with added functionalities

Display a div with a link button when hovering over an image

Enhanced SSL connectivity features in Meteor version 1.8.1

Attempting to retrieve JSON data using the subscribe method in Angular version 7.x

Concealing a Column within a Hierarchical HTML Table

What is the correct way to incorporate Regular Expressions in Selenium IDE coding?

Difficulty in constructing an array from several Firebase Storage URLs

Ordering request parameters in OAuth2 URL with npm passport can be achieved by following a specific method

I'm curious if it's possible to set up both Tailwind CSS and TypeScript in Next.js during the initialization process

What to do when VueJs computed method throws an error: "Cannot access property 'words' of undefined"?

NextJs getStaticPaths function is failing to render the correct page, resulting in a 404 error message being displayed

Can a FilePicker be Cleared Automatically through Code?