The Great TypeScript Conundrum: The Tale of "Any" and "Unknown" - The Typescript Types We Love to Hate

Alright, let's have a rant about why any and unknown exist in TypeScript if we're constantly being told not to use them!

I mean, seriously, what's the point? We have this fancy language that promises all these amazing static typing features, strict type checking, and improved tooling. We're encouraged to embrace the type system, write clean and maintainable code, and catch errors before they even happen. And then they go ahead and introduce any and unknown! It's like a cruel joke.

So, they give us any, the wildcard type that essentially says, "Hey, I don't care about types anymore. Let's just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best at runtime." It's the easy way out, the lazy developer's paradise. Why bother with static types when you can just slap an any on everything and call it a day? Might as well revert back to good ol' JavaScript if that's the approach we're taking.

But wait, they also bless us with unknown! It's supposed to be an improvement over any, a safer alternative. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we know any is bad, but here's another type that's still bad, but slightly less bad." Well, thanks for the half-hearted effort! With unknown, we're expected to be extra cautious, handle type checking ourselves, and basically jump through hoops to make it work. So why not just use proper types in the first place and save ourselves the headache?

What about code readability and maintainability? Do they even matter anymore? With any, we throw away all type information, leaving future developers scratching their heads and praying to the coding gods for some semblance of understanding. And with unknown, we're supposed to be explicit in our handling, but who has time for that? It's just more lines of code, more complexity, and more opportunities for mistakes.

And don't even get me started on refactoring and tooling support! TypeScript's type inference, autocompletion, and refactoring capabilities are top-notch, but hey, let's just throw that out the window and stick with any and unknown. Who needs helpful IDE suggestions or compile-time errors when we can have runtime surprises?

So, here's my frustration: if any and unknown are so bad, if they go against the very essence of TypeScript, then why on earth did they even introduce them in the first place? It's like having a beautiful, powerful sports car but being told we can only drive it at a snail's pace. It's mind-boggling!

I say, let's rebel against the existence of any and unknown. Let's embrace the true spirit of TypeScript and unleash the full power of its type system. Say no to the easy way out, say no to the murky unknown. Let's write code that's clear, safe, and maintainable, and let's show any and unknown the door!