any higher-level language that writes out javascript?

Question

I'm looking for a higher-level language that writes out javascript. in other words the relation of this language to javascript is similar to the relation C++ have with assembly code.

The requirements of this higher-level language is type-safety, easy refactoring, able to have classes, inheritance etc (abit like java/C#/vb.net).

The advantage is that I can code at this higher level language without having to rely on "hacks" to bring inheritance over to javascript. Moreover i do not have to do any runtime type/duck checks since the higher level language will impose the type-safety limit and the generated javascript will just "do the job".

Additional advantages would be any of the advantages we could have when we code in C++ compared to coding in assembly.

I'm actually going to try and write this higher-level language myself but its too much work and I was wondering if anyone had actually already did something like it.

Answer 1

CoffeeScript.

CoffeeScripts aim is not to have an already existing high level language compile down to JavaScript but to create a new language as a "Better JavaScript than JavaScript".

This is similar to using C++ as a "better C than C".

Of course since it's closer to JavaScript it fully supports all JavaScript features. The compiler is also written in CoffeeScript (JavaScript) itself.