TypeScript -Any

TypeScript any type can store all the possible JavaScript value like primitive types(string, Boolean, null, undefined, number, symbol), objects, array, functions, errors etc that means you can assign anything to it. TypeScript any type support from first release.   

See some examples of any types.

  

        let any_type_variable: any;

        any_type_variable = true;             // Assign the boolean value
        console.log(any_type_variable);  // output : true

        any_type_variable = 101;              // Assign the number value
        console.log(any_type_variable);     // output : 101

        any_type_variable = "Hello TypeScript";    // Assign  the string value
        console.log(any_type_variable);  // Hello TypeScript

        any_type_variable = [];               // Assign  the array
        console.log(any_type_variable);     // []

        any_type_variable = {};               // Assign  the object value
        console.log(any_type_variable);     //{}

        any_type_variable = Math.min;      // Assign  the min value
        console.log(any_type_variable);  //[Function: min]

        any_type_variable = null;             // Assign  the null value
        console.log(any_type_variable); // null

        any_type_variable = undefined;        // Assign  the undefined value
        console.log(any_type_variable);  // undefined

        any_type_variable = Symbol("type");   // Assign  the Symbol

        console.log(any_type_variable); // Symbol(type)

        const pi =3.14;
        let evenNumber=(number:number) => number %2 ==0;
        any_type_variable =  pi ;  // Assign  the Symbol value
        console.log(any_type_variable); // 31.4

        any_type_variable =  evenNumber ;  // Assign  the function
        console.log(any_type_variable(20)); // true

    

In above code snippet, we can assign any type of values to any type variable and perform the operation on it.

JavaScript complied code

  

        let any_type_variable;
        any_type_variable = true; // Assign the boolean value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = 101; // Assign the number value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = "Hello TypeScript"; // Assign  the string value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = []; // Assign  the array
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = {}; // Assign  the object value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = Math.min; // Assign  the min value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = null; // Assign  the null value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = undefined; // Assign  the undefined value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        // any_type_variable = new TypeError();  // Assign  the TypeError value
        // console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = Symbol("type"); // Assign  the Symbol
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        const pi = 3.14;
        let evenNumber = (number) => number % 2 == 0;
        any_type_variable = pi; // Assign  the Symbol value
        console.log(any_type_variable);
        any_type_variable = evenNumber; // Assign  the function
        console.log(any_type_variable(20));

    

When to use Any in TypeScript

You can use the any type when you are not sure about datatype. For example, you have integrated the coupon system from different vendor which use different type of coupon format. Vendor one is using string format, vendor two is using number format, vendor three is using alpha-numeric format and so on….

  

        let coupon_nr: any;
        coupon_nr = 111222222;
        coupon_nr = 'COUPON-121';
        coupon_nr = 'COUPON91';