Flow vs TypeScript

This cluster centers on comparisons between Flow and TypeScript as static typing tools for JavaScript, debating their features, maintenance, adoption, editor integration, and which is preferable for projects.

📉 Falling 0.1x Programming Languages
1,414
Comments
12
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4872
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2014
50
2015
109
2016
246
2017
376
2018
200
2019
139
2020
54
2021
50
2022
67
2023
67
2024
44
2025
12

Keywords

MS JS CI ES6 arr.push IDE PR FB TypeScipr FWIW typescript flow type type checking babel ts javascript react checking buggy

Sample Comments

spankalee Apr 27, 2016 View on HN

Does anyone actually use Flow? I see TypeScript all over the place.

Keats Oct 20, 2015 View on HN

Which feature are you using in TypeScript that wasn't in Flow?

seattle_spring Dec 28, 2017 View on HN

We're using Flow instead of TypeScript, so I think that's a pretty good reason.

seattle_spring Mar 26, 2017 View on HN

Neither. I think Flow and TypeScript are both great solutions, and neither is clearly better at this point.

AgentME Feb 15, 2021 View on HN

As someone who has used both Flow and Typescript for years, I'd recommend Typescript over Flow. You can use Babel to compile Typescript code just like you can with Flow and have Typescript do its type-checking in CI. Typescript has better editor integration, more type-definitions for libraries, and breaks compatibility much less often than Flow.

Lvl999Noob Nov 5, 2022 View on HN

Isn't typescript better than flow? In what ways is flow better?

pcthrowaway May 6, 2022 View on HN

Flow might be a trap, only because it's lost out to Typescript at this point.

wldcordeiro Nov 16, 2017 View on HN

TypeScript, Flow? That's kind of what you're asking for.

cwyers Sep 24, 2015 View on HN

Why Flow instead of Typescript?

egeozcan Aug 1, 2018 View on HN

Seems to use Flow instead of Typescript. I wish MS and FB just merged their projects already. Really unnecessary friction when their syntax is 90% the same AFAICT.