Running TypeScript directly in Node.js

Good news: in recent versions of Node.js, you can run .ts files directly — no ts-node, tsx, or manual build needed.

Version	Change
v22.6.0	Basic support for type-stripping introduced
v22.7.0	Added the --experimental-transform-types flag
v23.6.0	Type annotation removal enabled by default
v24.3.0	Feature is no longer considered experimental

More about native TypeScript support in Node.js can be found in the official documentation.

What Changed

• Node.js now removes type annotations (type stripping) on its own, leaving clean JavaScript.
• The --experimental-strip-types flag is no longer required — it is enabled by default. You can disable it with --no-experimental-strip-types if needed.
• Definitions that still require transpilation (enum, namespace) require the --experimental-transform-types flag.

Example Usage

node --experimental-transform-types index.ts

Writing Compatible Code

In TypeScript 5.8, a new flag erasableSyntaxOnly was introduced. It disallows constructs that Node.js cannot strip. By adding this to your tsconfig.json, your editor will warn you about unsupported code.

Who This Is Useful For

Large TypeScript projects that actively use namespace, enum, and other transformable constructs will still rely on tools like ts-node, tsx, or a full tsc build — and that's perfectly fine. But for small utilities, test scripts, and quick tools, the ability to just run node script.ts is a great way to save time and avoid extra configuration.