What is the difference between using the colon and as syntax for declaring type?

Yes they are different

Firstly, let's see this example

let a: string;
let b: number;

function c() {
    const d = (a || b) as number; // Works
    const e: number = (a || b); // Throw typing error
}

so as number telling Typescript that in that case, the value will be a number (define the type of the result). It forces Typescript to think that it will always return a number (even that it could be not true).

``: number``` define the type of the variable, not the result. So Typescript will verify and ensure that there could not be another case (Even that it could never happen).

Hope that help.

One is a type annotation one is a type assertion.

The type annotation tells the compiler check that the assignment is fully valid and that message is indeed compatible with UServerMessage

The type assertion tells the compiler, I know what I'm doing, message is a UServerMessage, never mind what you think you know, I have more information and I know best. Some checks are still performed even if you use type assertions so you might see double assertions message as any as UServerMessage for example if the type of message is very incompatible with UServerMessage

You should always prefer a type annotation to an assertion. Use assertion with care and only if you have to. A type assertion is a hammer to get a square peg to fit into a round hole, useful at times but you might take a second look at what you are doing to make sure its right. Make sure it's not: