Assertion function methods complains about missing annotation even with explicit annotation

This may be working as intended but the error message is at least unclear for this case. It's not obvious why explicit annotation with a Union is different than explicit annotation with a class type.

TypeScript Version: 3.9.4

Search Terms:

• assertion function union
• assertion function

Code

type Pet = Cat | Dog;

type Filter<V extends Pet, T extends 'dog' | 'cat' > = V extends { type: T } ? V : never

abstract class Base {
    abstract type: 'dog' | 'cat'   
  
    assert<T extends 'dog' | 'cat'>(this: Pet, type: T): asserts this is Filter<Pet, T>  {
        if (this.type === type) return
        throw new Error('nope')
    }
}

class Dog extends Base {
    type = 'dog' as const
    bark() { }
}       
class Cat extends Base  {
    type = 'cat' as const
    meow() { }
}

const a: Pet = new Dog() as any

const b: Dog = new Dog() as any

a.assert('dog')
a.bark()

b.assert('dog')
b.bark()

Expected behavior:

a.assert() to narrow the type and not complain about an explicit type annotation

Actual behavior:

a.asserts is marked as implicitly typed

Playground Link:

https://www.typescriptlang.org/play/index.html?ssl=38&ssc=9&pln=3&pc=1#code/LAKFBcE8AcFMAIAKtzwLzwMIENUB94ARAewHMBuUCGBAMQEsAbcWAJwB4A1eWADxYB2AEwDOSFABp4AFR79YwsQHIhZJfAJKAxrnUA+dPG59Bo+AG94UOAC4Z8AL7wA-Efh2BsAG5sqIbABGIuCs2FqoWozYImIAQtEI5qDwKfCBwaHhVjR2Kmoa8Nq6qcnwpSnRImzg7LImCmZ5pOqaOuBKegAU4AAW9CJ2yOBS1rB20gCUdpXVYr398AsMzGzsQ1LSBhblqSn0AGbw3X0iAHSj6GgYoxPwrCgArqwCO7u9rMQA7vCe3wCirA+rE6SgExDgSgmOwcoBhYBA+weAnC9GIAjSMWq0hotTkpmUqmaBSK7S6XkGkmythkUwxVVY4DEXkWYmWLA46xkWySIF2ByOXnONEu1xot3u4CeL15qXeXx+sH+gOIwNB4NgkNhfkilSIZDxDTiCW2MpSFwwTXU0XgWjRwR2AWwrAA1p1bpY4U5dilQDqYlhcAbFPB4lUUjy3sKLW0rWJbQJ7ab4ABbWBfN0WRxa+G+u2obAU1AYX560gZ63YASQXMJ1ABOwkUiGEuN8tiSvV+HYU4zBkgwma-ynR0ut1+AI9zF9y1QkATkeu2dAA

Related Issues:

#36931
#37241

Reproduce the reported behavior in the linked TypeScript Playground using the provided Pet, Base, Dog, and Cat example. Start by tracing how the compiler checks the assertion method's explicit asserts this is Filter<Pet, T> annotation, then compare it with the class-type case. Done means the union annotation is handled consistently or the diagnostic clearly explains why it is rejected, with regression coverage added in the relevant compiler tests.