Use static typing where available

[jacksonj04]

tl;dr: we should try use static typing where it exists, because it helps protect us from easy mistakes and makes us more fully consider the structure of our application and how information is passed around.

Bikeshed for this at https://bikeshed.dxw.com/2023/02/24/just-my-type-why-we-should-start-using-more-static-typing/

[snim2]

Whilst I'm a big fan of external typing tools like MyPy, I'm a little more cautious about this proposal. Firstly, I think we need to differentiate a little between how we deal with:

• New code and legacy code
• Repos we have forked and ones we've created
• Code that is relatively stand-alone, and codebases where the use of a larger framework or whatever might complicate the use of internal type annotations

I'd be interested to hear any thoughts @matthewpassmore and @serena-piccioni about how we might apply some of the thoughts in this draft to GovPress work.

[richpjames]

I agree with this!
I would go as far as saying any non-trivial Javascript app MUST use typescript but in the interest of keeping this RFC as broad as possible I think SHOULD is fine.

[dragon-dxw]

I agree with this! I would go as far as saying any non-trivial Javascript app MUST use typescript but in the interest of keeping this RFC as broad as possible I think SHOULD is fine.

We should probably be explicit about per-language choices, even if they are only recommendations.