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Another thing worth noting is that TypeScript is more expensive to maintain - you need a build step, environment setup, more boilerplate code, and in small projects this just slows down development. If you're learning and want to write code quickly and see results, start with plain JavaScript, and you can pick up TypeScript later when you understand where you specifically need typing in your own code.
TypeScript makes sense if you're planning to work on large projects or at companies with serious codebases - it's already the standard there. If you're just starting out with programming or learning JavaScript for small tasks, first get a solid grasp of plain JS, then move on to TypeScript - it'll make much more sense why you need it. In 2026, there's no less demand for TypeScript, so you'll end up learning it anyway, it's just a matter of order.
It's not really a question of "instead" - it's more about the order you learn things in. Starting straight with TypeScript when you're still unsure about JavaScript fundamentals is like learning to drive a manual transmission when you've just sat behind the wheel for the first time. The extra complexity just distracts from what actually matters.
I spent a long time going back and forth on this when I was getting into web development. I took a small project in plain JavaScript - worked on it for a couple of months, and only then did I see where I needed type checking. When I switched to TypeScript, it actually made sense, because I understood what errors its checks were catching. If I'd started with it right away, all that type syntax would've just looked like pointless noise.
Sure, in 2026 TypeScript is everywhere, that's true. But that doesn't mean you have to start with it. Learn JavaScript properly, figure out where you're lacking confidence in data types, where errors crop up because of wrong types - and then TypeScript will click as a solution to a real problem, not just another thing you have to memorize. After that, switching over takes a couple of weeks.
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