microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript
Can't constrain a generic parameter to have string keys?
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Description
Bug Report
Search Terms: Type 'X' cannot be used to index type 'Y', constrain generic parameter to have string keys
- This is the behavior in every version I tried
Code
This type is meant to map another type's values to arrays of {message: V} but also allow {message:unknown} for other string keys.
type Example<M> =
{ [K in keyof M]?: {message: M[K]}[] } &
{ [key in string]: {message: unknown}[] };
For example, the intent is that Example<{ foo: string }> should become
{
foo: {message: string}[];
[key: string]: {message: unknown}[];
}
And this works: we know that "foo" and other strings are valid keys.
const obj: Example<{foo: string}> = {};
obj["foo"] = [{message: "hi"}];
obj["bar"] = [{message: "x"}];
But trying to use Example with a generic parameter gives errors. Even if we don't know M["foo"], we should know that keyof M is string.
// attempt to constrain M's keys to be strings
function test<M extends {[key in string]: unknown}>() {
const obj: Example<M> = {};
obj["foo"] = []; // error: Type '"foo"' cannot be used to index type 'Example<M>'.
obj["bar"] = []; // error: Type '"foo"' cannot be used to index type 'Example<M>'.
}
// should fail, but doesn't -- we've tried to constrain M to have string keys
test<{ 4: string }>();
🙁 Actual behavior
Example<M> cannot be indexed using string when M is a generic parameter.
🙂 Expected behavior
It should always be possible to index with string, since the definition of Example includes { [key in string]: ... }.
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
Start with the linked TypeScript Playground reproduction and compare the concrete Example<{ foo: string }> case with the generic test<M extends { [key in string]: unknown }>() case. Investigate generic indexed-access and key-constraint behavior; done when string indexing works for the generic Example while a numeric-key instantiation is rejected.
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
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100