microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript

Expose `textChanges.ChangeTracker` for public API

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#53,399 1 comment 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub

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Description

Suggestion

I'm not sure how such requests as this one suits into TypeScript repo, but I've seen such requests earlier so decided to put another one!

Motivation: Currently it's very unclear for new developers how to contribute new code actions (refactorings / quick fixes: getEditsForRefactor / getCodeFixesAtPosition) with current plugins API. While factory API is exposed AFAICS the only way to convert nodes to actual changes is ts.createPrinter().printNode, which makes passed in formatOptions useless (just always inserting semicolons is already too annoying). I don't see a reason why don't let other developers to build their own code actions in the same way as built-in bulit.

Of course I've already seen a lot of plugins using in our days, most of them are using constructor and with along with these methods: insertNodeAt, replaceNodeRange, delete and a few others. With types exposed it would be easier to use language service methods that receive formatOptions.

🔍 Search Terms

Language Service Plugins API

List of keywords you searched for before creating this issue. Write them down here so that others can find this suggestion more easily and help provide feedback.

✅ Viability 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, new syntax sugar for JS, etc.)
  • This feature would agree with the rest of TypeScript's Design Goals.

⭐ Suggestion

📃 Motivating Example

💻 Use Cases

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 by reading the language service plugin entry points named in the issue, especially getEditsForRefactor and getCodeFixesAtPosition, alongside textChanges.ChangeTracker and its insertNodeAt, replaceNodeRange, and delete methods. Determine the public API and compatibility requirements for exposing ChangeTracker, including how formatOptions would be used; done means the supported surface and validation approach are clear.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
api, developer-experience
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
30/100

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