Setting Compiler Options in MSBuild projects

Overview

Compiler options can be specified using MSBuild properties within an MSBuild project.

Example

  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">
    <TypeScriptRemoveComments>false</TypeScriptRemoveComments>
    <TypeScriptSourceMap>true</TypeScriptSourceMap>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Release'">
    <TypeScriptRemoveComments>true</TypeScriptRemoveComments>
    <TypeScriptSourceMap>false</TypeScriptSourceMap>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets')" />

Mappings

Compiler Option	MSBuild Property Name	Allowed Values
--declaration	TypeScriptGeneratesDeclarations	boolean
--module	TypeScriptModuleKind	AMD, CommonJs, UMD, or System
--target	TypeScriptTarget	ES3, ES5, or ES6
--charset	TypeScriptCharset
--emitBOM	TypeScriptEmitBOM	boolean
--emitDecoratorMetadata	TypeScriptEmitDecoratorMetadata	boolean
--experimentalDecorators	TypeScriptExperimentalDecorators	boolean
--inlineSourceMap	TypeScriptInlineSourceMap	boolean
--inlineSources	TypeScriptInlineSources	boolean
--locale	automatic	Automatically set to PreferredUILang value
--mapRoot	TypeScriptMapRoot	File path
--newLine	TypeScriptNewLine	CRLF or LF
--noEmitOnError	TypeScriptNoEmitOnError	boolean
--noEmitHelpers	TypeScriptNoEmitHelpers	boolean
--noImplicitAny	TypeScriptNoImplicitAny	boolean
--noLib	TypeScriptNoLib	boolean
--noResolve	TypeScriptNoResolve	boolean
--out	TypeScriptOutFile	File path
--outDir	TypeScriptOutDir	File path
--preserveConstEnums	TypeScriptPreserveConstEnums	boolean
--removeComments	TypeScriptRemoveComments	boolean
--rootDir	TypeScriptRootDir	File path
--isolatedModules	TypeScriptIsolatedModules	boolean
--sourceMap	TypeScriptSourceMap	File path
--sourceRoot	TypeScriptSourceRoot	File path
--suppressImplicitAnyIndexErrors	TypeScriptSuppressImplicitAnyIndexErrors	boolean
--suppressExcessPropertyErrors	TypeScriptSuppressExcessPropertyErrors	boolean
--moduleResolution	TypeScriptModuleResolution	Classic or Node
--experimentalAsyncFunctions	TypeScriptExperimentalAsyncFunctions	boolean
--jsx	TypeScriptJSXEmit	React or Preserve
--reactNamespace[1]	TypeScriptReactNamespace
--skipDefaultLibCheck[1]	TypeScriptSkipDefaultLibCheck	boolean
--allowUnusedLabels[1]	TypeScriptAllowUnusedLabels	boolean
--noImplicitReturns[1]	TypeScriptNoImplicitReturns	boolean
--noFallthroughCasesInSwitch[1]	TypeScriptNoFallthroughCasesInSwitch	boolean
--allowUnreachableCode[1]	TypeScriptAllowUnreachableCode	boolean
--forceConsistentCasingInFileNames[1]	TypeScriptForceConsistentCasingInFileNames	boolean
--allowSyntheticDefaultImports[1]	TypeScriptAllowSyntheticDefaultImports	boolean
--noImplicitUseStrict[1]	TypeScriptNoImplicitUseStrict	boolean
--project	Not supported in VS
--watch	Not supported in VS
--diagnostics	Not supported in VS
--listFiles	Not supported in VS
--noEmit	Not supported in VS
VS only option	TypeScriptAdditionalFlags	Any compiler option

¹ These settings are new in TypeScript 1.8

What is supported in my version of Visual Studio?

Look in your C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets file. The authoritative mappings between MSBuild XML tags and tsc compiler options live in there.

ToolsVersion

The value of <TypeScriptToolsVersion>1.7</TypeScriptToolsVersion> property in the project file identifies the compiler version to use to build (1.7 in this example). This allows a project to build against the save versions of the compiler on different machines.

If TypeScriptToolsVersion is not specified, the latest compiler version installed on the machine will be used to build.

Users using newer versions of TS, will see a prompt to upgrade their project on first load.

TypeScriptCompileBlocked

If you are using a different build tool to build your project (e.g. gulp, grunt ,etc..) and VS for the development and debugging experience, set <TypeScriptCompileBlocked>true</TypeScriptCompileBlocked> in your project. This should give you all the editing support, but not the build when you hit F5.