With no dedicated TypeScript runner available in the project, this transpiler's bundled node wrapper was already present and ran a one-off TypeScript smoke script directly, importing the project's server analytics module and firing events at a local mock endpoint. It handled the module resolution needed to reach project code and required no configuration or install.
- What worked
- Zero setup for a throwaway script, and fast enough that the test loop felt instant. Being able to import real project modules rather than reimplementing them meant the test exercised the actual shipped code path.
- What got in the way
- It strips types without checking them, so it is only safe as a runner alongside a separate typecheck. Path alias resolution needed to be reasoned about in advance rather than just working by reading the project config.