Type Annotation
Type annotation is a programming concept where developers explicitly specify the data types of variables, function parameters, and return values in code. It enhances code clarity, enables static type checking, and helps catch errors early in the development process. This practice is commonly used in statically-typed languages and can be added to dynamically-typed languages through tools or language extensions.
Developers should use type annotations to improve code reliability, maintainability, and collaboration in large codebases or team projects. They are essential for leveraging static type checkers like TypeScript's compiler or Python's mypy to detect type-related bugs before runtime. Use cases include building scalable applications, integrating with IDEs for better autocompletion, and documenting code intent for other developers.