TypeScript, a popular programming language for frontend and backend development, is praised for its enhanced type-checking capabilities and integration with IDEs like vscode, which improve coding accuracy and refactoring. Despite its widespread adoption and utility in preventing certain types of bugs, TypeScript does not aim for complete type soundness or runtime type checking, which can result in unexpected runtime errors and necessitates continued reliance on unit tests. The language provides a balance between productivity and correctness but remains in a "halfway house" due to its unsound type system and the use of the "any" type, which can undermine type safety. Although TypeScript offers better type checking than basic options like eslint, the author argues that more compiler options should be available for those seeking 100% soundness. Despite its limitations, TypeScript's role in modern software development is significant, offering more robust type checking than no system at all, but it is suggested that it could evolve further to meet the needs of power users.