Array<Type> VS Type[] in Typescript

Question

As far as I know a property's type can be defined in two ways when it's an Array.

property_name: type

where type can be either

Array<string>, Array<MyType>, etc. (e.g. let prop1: Array<string>)

and

string[], MyType[], etc. (e.g. let prop1: string[])

What is the difference between the two cases? Or am I misunderstanding something (perhaps something about <> used in casting?)

EDIT since the question is marked as duplicate, I am aware there is the other question about any[] but still I had a look at it before posting and to me it was more about the type 'any' than the different [] VS <> I asked

Answer 1

There isn't any semantic difference

There is no difference at all. Type[] is the shorthand syntax for an array of Type. Array<Type> is the generic syntax. They are completely equivalent.

The handbook provides an example here. It is equivalent to write:

function loggingIdentity<T>(arg: T[]): T[] {
    console.log(arg.length);
    return arg;
}

Or:

function loggingIdentity<T>(arg: Array<T>): Array<T> {
    console.log(arg.length);
    return arg;
}

And here is a quote from some release notes:

Specifically, number[] is a shorthand version of Array<number>, just as Date[] is a shorthand for Array<Date>.

About the readonly type modifier

TypeScript 3.4, introduces the readonly type modifier. With a precision:

the readonly type modifier can only be used for syntax on array types and tuple types

let err2: readonly Array<boolean>; // error!    
let okay: readonly boolean[]; // works fine

The following declaration is equivalent to readonly boolean[]:

let okay2: ReadonlyArray<boolean>;

Answer 2

There is a difference when you are defining fixed length arrays. You can't define a fixed length array with Array<>, you have to use the shorthand syntax:

const myFunc1 = (arg: [string, number, boolean]) => {
  console.log(arg);
};
myFunc1(["hello world", 123, true]);

// error: TS2314: Generic type 'Array ' requires 1 type argument(s).
const myFunc2 = (arg: Array<string, number, boolean>) => {
  console.log(arg);
};
myFunc2(["hello world", 123, true])