@import suggestions for auto-imports in VS Code

🔍 Search Terms

@import, auto-import, JSDoc

✅ Viability Checklist

• 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 isn't a request to add a new utility type: https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/wiki/No-New-Utility-Types
• This feature would agree with the rest of our Design Goals: https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/wiki/TypeScript-Design-Goals

⭐ Suggestion

Taken from a chat with @andrewbranch:

When working a JS codebase, it's common to want to import types. As of TS 5.5 we have the JSDoc @import tag which is wonderful!

However, VS Code does not offer it as an option for auto imports. Consider the following help menu:

I like the Change 'Customer' to 'import... suggestion, what I'd like even more would be a suggestion to Add /** @import {Customer} from ...

📃 Motivating Example

It doesn't improve the language. It improves the developer experience of JSDoc.

💻 Use Cases

1. What do you want to use this for?
   Working in VS Code more effectively.
2. What shortcomings exist with current approaches?
   Current suggestions are more verbose.
3. What workarounds are you using in the meantime?
   Writing imports by hand.

Start with the existing VS Code auto-import help menu and the “Change 'Customer'...” suggestion described in the issue. Trace how that suggestion is produced for JavaScript files, then add a corresponding JSDoc @import option and verify it appears for the motivating type-import case.