Discriminated union with an optional discriminator is not being resolved as expected

🔎 Search Terms

discriminated union, discriminated union with an optional discriminator, type inference in objects

🕗 Version & Regression Information

I have a simple piece of code (see the playground/below)

The runtime flow is very simple: whatever gets returned by the loader func gets passed as data to the handle's crumbBuilder method. If the loader is absent then data will also be absent

But when it comes to typing those behaviors then 2 issues arise:

1. At first, the discriminated union is not being resolved properly: in the second case it should be a string but TS cannot infer it and defaults to any
2. At second, we still have to explicitly annotate or assert the data type, however from the loader definition it is possible to infer its return type. Is there a syntax way to say 'the type of data is the whatever awaited type the loader function returns?. I have tried to achieve that behaviour using generics and the satisifies` keyword but failed to

⏯ Playground Link

https://www.typescriptlang.org/play/?#code/C4TwDgpgBACghsAFgZQgcwLYQHbCgXigHsAjAKwgGNgBtAXQG4BYAKFdEigAk5sATADYQAPABUAIgjgA+AlADerKMqiUATgFcMJAEIaAlgL4Q1ALigAKPlPMSpASgKz4SVJhy1GrAL6t24aAAZIjhjNTFJYBk5Czg1NABnc3koMDi4DCSoACUqIjU+YQTgNX1sNAAaKGLS8tlvR3xnNSIMfQSROyjpZjYWDmhsog1gCB5+IXCuuDleEFl8JRUAHwUllRVEXkEIc3Gd4WwIADcTHvWNqAEQsIB+cyPTtV6N3xYN1cV3y+Utid3uNshBEpOdvj9rqETOZglCppEZBdvL1WJQiNhilAWiMxkCTAB1fRIYbAWFhORfDZ-HbJC4bdRaXQGIzQyzWKKNWT0KoAeh57Jm7VU+TUVGAAhAUDKADMTKK+FA4AkoI8TEifNUEO1pfoIMqhjj9pM-Cw0Ri8NjRkaTBSLpCwuYlSBsJRLHFEpy1uDLqLgBo1NhFfEEgA6NJqDKhjQdNQAST4LxU3gqF2pQlp3vpmm0ekMDrZDicUHoUD5AqlyuwRDwMrlEAVSuqJTKaHVLG8muA2t1+pJuP+4RqLekQA

💻 Code

type PathSegment = object[];

type Handle<TData> = {
    crumbBuilder: (data: TData) => PathSegment[];
}

type Loader<TData> = (args: { params: Record<string, string> }) => Promise<TData>;

type RouteHandler<TData = any> =
    | {
        handle: Handle<never>;
        loader?: never;
    }
    | {
        handle: Handle<TData>;
        loader: Loader<TData>
    };

const routeHandlerWithoutLoader = {
    handle: {
        crumbBuilder: (data) => [], //data is correctly inferred as never
    }
} satisfies RouteHandler

const routeHandler = {
    loader: async (args) => {
        return args.params.userId;
    },
    handle: {
        crumbBuilder: (data) => [] //data is not inferred as string
    }
} satisfies RouteHandler<string>

🙁 Actual behavior

data is not inferred as string

🙂 Expected behavior

1. data should be inferred as a string

2. there is no need to explicitly annotate or assert the data type , and it must be inferred from the loader return type

Additional information about the issue

No response

Start with the linked TypeScript Playground example and the RouteHandler, Handle, and Loader definitions in the issue. Reproduce both cases, then investigate how the checker handles the optional discriminant and whether loader return types can flow into handle. Done means the reported cases infer data as never without a loader and string with the loader, without an explicit annotation.