TypeScript Code Review Patterns

Stack-specific rules loaded by dh:code-reviewer when tsconfig.json, *.ts, or *.tsx files are detected.

Strict Mode

• tsconfig.json must enable strict: true — this covers noImplicitAny, strictNullChecks, strictFunctionTypes, and others
• exactOptionalPropertyTypes: true is required in new projects — prevents undefined from being assigned to optional properties
• noUncheckedIndexedAccess: true is required when indexing arrays or records — prevents silent undefined propagation
• Any @ts-ignore comment without an accompanying explanation comment is a blocking finding
• @ts-expect-error is preferred over @ts-ignore — it fails if the error goes away

Type Safety

• any type without an explanatory comment is a blocking finding
• Type assertions (as SomeType) without runtime validation at the same boundary are a blocking finding
• unknown is the correct type for values from external sources — validate before narrowing, not after
• object as a type is not meaningful — use Record<string, unknown> or a specific interface
• Non-null assertions (value!) without a comment explaining why null is impossible are a blocking finding

Discriminated Unions Over Booleans

• Multiple boolean flags encoding state are a blocking finding — model as a discriminated union instead
• State machine logic with isLoading, isError, isSuccess as separate booleans allows impossible combinations

// WRONG: boolean flags allow impossible states
interface State {
  isLoading: boolean;
  isError: boolean;
  data: User | null;
}

// RIGHT: discriminated union — impossible states are unrepresentable
type State =
  | { status: "loading" }
  | { status: "error"; error: Error }
  | { status: "success"; data: User };

Branded Types

• Domain primitives that are structurally identical but semantically distinct must use branded types to prevent mix-ups
• UserId and OrderId are both string at runtime — without brands, they are interchangeable to the type checker

type UserId = string & { readonly _brand: "UserId" };
type OrderId = string & { readonly _brand: "OrderId" };

function makeUserId(id: string): UserId {
  return id as UserId;
}

ESM

• require() calls are a blocking finding — use import syntax
• Named exports are preferred over default exports — easier to refactor and search
• import type must be used for type-only imports — prevents runtime errors and improves tree-shaking
• Dynamic import() must be typed with the expected module shape

Async Patterns

• Floating promises (calling an async function without await or .then()/.catch()) are a blocking finding
• Promise.all is required for parallel independent async operations — sequential await in a loop is an anti-pattern when operations are independent
• await inside a for loop that processes independent items is a blocking finding
• Unhandled promise rejections must have explicit error handling at the call site

Runtime Safety

• User-controlled input entering the system must be validated against a schema (zod, valibot, or equivalent) at the boundary — no raw as UserType casts on external data
• JSON.parse results must be validated before use — JSON.parse(text) as MyType is a blocking finding
• Environment variables must be validated at startup with specific error messages — process.env.API_KEY! without validation is a blocking finding

satisfies Operator

• satisfies is preferred over explicit type annotations for config objects and record literals — preserves the literal type while validating against the declared type
• Use when you want both type checking AND the narrowed type available downstream

// RIGHT: satisfies preserves literal types
const config = {
  port: 3000,
  host: "localhost",
} satisfies ServerConfig;
// config.port is typed as 3000, not number

Anti-Patterns

// WRONG: any without comment
function process(data: any) { ... }

// RIGHT: specific type or documented any
function process(data: unknown) {
  if (!isUserEvent(data)) throw new TypeError("Expected UserEvent");
  ...
}

// WRONG: floating promise
sendMetrics(event);

// RIGHT: awaited or explicitly fire-and-forget
void sendMetrics(event); // intentionally not awaited — best-effort telemetry
// or
await sendMetrics(event);