microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript
3.5 regression: return type forced more restrictive than needed
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Description
TypeScript Version: 3.5.0-dev.20190508
Search Terms: restrictive return type
Code
class Box<A> {
constructor(public val: A) {}
}
interface ContainerFor<A> {
array: Array<A>;
box: Box<A>;
}
function single<T extends keyof ContainerFor<number>>(t: T, x: number): ContainerFor<number>[T] {
switch (t) {
case "array":
return new Array<number>(x);
case "box":
return new Box<number>(x);
}
return new Box<number>(0); // this should not be needed
}
function test() {
let t1 = single("array", 42);
let t2 = single("box", 42);
//let t3 = single("boo", 42);
}
Expected behavior:
This code worked with 3.4, but had an unsoundness bug in that single was allowed to return the wrong type (swap array and box). It was clear that switching over t did not increase knowledge about the expected output type and I was forced to have a fallback return which is of course unreachable. But the code itself worked.
The test function also shows things work as expected. The types for t1 and t2 are inferred correctly and asking for an unknown thing ("boo") is reported as an error.
I would expect this to still work in 3.5, perhaps fixing one of the issues I'm having in the internals of single.
Actual behavior:
Typescript 3.5 no longer accepts this code. returning new Array or new Box are flagged as wrong return types. The newly expected return type is now mandated to be the intersection type: number[] & Box<number>, which is too restrictive as the correct output type can be statically determined from T in the input. The fact that test correctly infers the output type is proof of this.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Reproduce the generic function example with TypeScript 3.5.0-dev.20190508 and compare its behavior with TypeScript 3.4, focusing on how the switch over T determines the indexed return type. Done means the array and Box branches are accepted without the unreachable fallback while invalid keys remain errors.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- typescript
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100