microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript

Catch when callbacks are missing a return.

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#36,472 5 comments 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub

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Needs Proposal Suggestion
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Description

Search Terms

  • array callback return
  • eslint array-callback-return
  • catch missing return for callbacks

Suggestion

TypeScript does not recognise this as an error even though it clearly is - findIndex takes a callback which should return a boolean, returning an (implicit) undefined is IMO in 99% of cases a mistake.

[1,2,3].findIndex(e => {
  e === 1
})

I also think that if there is an explicit return of a falsey value such as null or undefined, then that should be fine. It's the lack of any return at all which should trigger an error, in my eyes.

I'm aware that ESLint can do this but not everyone uses ESLint, also ESLint can be a huge pain to configure sometimes, especially when Prettier, TypeScript and other things are involved.

Use Cases

It will definitely catch errors, IMHO, for people who don't use ESLint or do not have the rule array-callback-return.

Examples

No error:

[1,2,3].findIndex(e => 
  e === 1
)

No error:

[1,2,3].findIndex(e => e === 1)

A warning/errror: "Did you forget a return?"

[1,2,3].findIndex(e => {
  e === 1
})

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.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the callback examples in the issue and review how TypeScript currently checks callbacks passed to methods such as findIndex. Define the diagnostic behavior for block-bodied callbacks with no return, while preserving expression-bodied callbacks and explicit falsey returns; done means the requested cases are consistently distinguished.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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