[Feature request] sort literals in .d.ts

Search Terms

Suggestion

sort string literal in .d.ts

Use Cases

avoid string literal random change order when source code didn't change
and make code history is more easy read

in this issue thread string literal is mean => "a" | "c" | "b"

this not only happen on Record, it has chance happen at all type is auto create by typescript emit with string literal

Examples

"a" | "c" | "b" is create by typesctipt emit and some time will random change order

• https://github.com/bluelovers/cjk-convert/blob/1a0ba9f85e0bf7fe916158cc14a4ef87507106d9/lib/zh/table/table.ts#L1619-L1635
• https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/30328
  • https://github.com/bluelovers/novel-travis-test/commit/3b88745e187736797d9a30d4f4bbd927b0c6dd30#diff-3006c96d8657ccca5b9b3618a256314c
  • https://github.com/bluelovers/novel-travis-test/commit/d33c4a61602a8536d1414d36e027eb99845104f1#diff-3006c96d8657ccca5b9b3618a256314c
  • https://github.com/bluelovers/novel-travis-test/commit/2d749195c39ef386e6c4bad1ae6e19d007c03e93#diff-3006c96d8657ccca5b9b3618a256314c

current .d.ts output

---

export declare const table_plus: Record<"a" | "c" | "b">
// "a" | "c" | "b" is random change order

in this request

sort ( use simple array.sort() ) it when output emit at .d.ts

export declare const table_plus: Record<"a" | "b" | "c">

Checklist

My suggestion meets these guidelines:

• This wouldn't be a breaking change in existing TypeScript/JavaScript code
• This wouldn't change the runtime behavior of existing JavaScript code
• This could be implemented without emitting different JS based on the types of the expressions
• This isn't a runtime feature (e.g. library functionality, non-ECMAScript syntax with JavaScript output, etc.)
• This feature would agree with the rest of TypeScript's Design Goals.

Maintainer's note [@sandersn]: To implementers: When you implement this, be sure to sort other literal types too. Consider sorting other things, like symbol, by the order of their string representation.

Start by tracing TypeScript's declaration emit path for the .d.ts example, especially how string-literal unions are produced for Record types. Compare emitted output with the requested sorted order, then consider the maintainer's note about other literal types and symbols. Done means declaration output is deterministic without changing runtime JavaScript behavior.