TU17: Enhancing the Google Apps Script Developer Experience with clasp and TypeScript

Full Show

Show Notes

Broadcast Date: 05 October 2018

Presenters: Riël Notermans, Grant Timmerman, Martin Hawksey and Steve Webster

In this episode of Totally Unscripted we look at local Google Apps Script development. As part of this Riël Notermans (Zzapps) looks at how Chrome OS devices able to run Linux apps can be used to allow local editing of Google Apps Script projects in VS Code with code autocomplete. Grant Timmerman continues the conversation demonstrating features of the Google Apps Script Command Line Interface tool, clasp, can be used to aid project development. In particular Grant highlights how clasp’s TypeScript integration allows developers to use the latest JavaScript coding syntax which is transpiled by clasp to be compatible Google Apps Script code. For links and resources discussed see the show notes below:

Highlights

Setting up Chrome OS for local Google Apps Script Development

In this highlight Riël Notermans demonstrates how compatible Chrome OS devices that are compatible of running Linux applications can be setup to edit Google Apps Script projects locally outwith the web based Script Editor. Riël shows how installing Linux apps is enabled and the steps required to install the open source VS Code IDE and use with the Google Apps Script Command Line Interface tool, clasp.

Resources:

Enhancing the Google Apps Script Developer Experience with clasp

In this clip Grant Timmerman highlights some of the new features of the clasp CLI including how projects can be developed using TypeScript and Stackdriver logging within the command line. Grant also provides an update on code autocomplete for Apps Script Advanced Services. As part of this the advantages and practicalities of using TypeScript are discussed including developing code using the latest JavaScript ES8 syntax which is then transpiled by clasp to the current Apps Script specification.

Resources: