Why is --isolatedModules error fixed by any import?

173
votes

In a create-react-app typescript project, I tried to write this just to test some stuff quickly:

// experiment.test.ts
it('experiment', () => {
  console.log('test');
});

But it gives me the following error, with a red squiggly beneath it:

All files must be modules when the '--isolatedModules' flag is provided.

However, if I change the file to the following, then everything apparently is fine (except for the unused import of course):

// experiment.test.ts
import { Component} from 'react'; // literally anything, don't even have to use it

it('test', () => {
  console.log('test');
});

Why? What is happening here? What does --isolatedModules actually mean/do?

5
typescript
If you're using import or export then that file is an ES6 module. Your top example is problematic because it is not defined anywhere, in a modular architecture you'd need to import it from somewhere – apokryfos
@apokryfos This link should help medium.com/bb-tutorials-and-thoughts/… – AiSirachcha21
This also seems like a solution stackoverflow.com/questions/60925133/… – AiSirachcha21

5 Answers

326
votes

Typescript treats files without import/exports as legacy script files. As such files are not modules and any definitions they have get merged in the global namespace. isolatedModules forbids such files.

Adding any import or export to a file makes it a module and the error disappears.

Also export {} is a handy way to make a file a module without importing anything.

42
votes

The correct way is to tell TypeScript what you want. If you don't want isolatedModules create tsconfig.json inside your test directory and add:

{
  "extends": "../tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "isolatedModules": false
  },
}

Adding "isolatedModules": true to the config and then cheating TypeScript checker by adding empty export {} smells bad code to me.

6
votes

Still having error despite you exporting things from that "error file"?

  1. Check if you don't export same name that you already export in another file (conflict)
  2. After your fix try to stop and start your npm/yarn runner (I experienced it cannot recover itself even after hard reload of the page especially when you have another error somewhere else)
2
votes

Let's try to check isolated modules. When I checked Google, there is no direct context of it.

It basically means that you allow Typescript to compile modules in isolation.

But it comes from Typescript and has something to do with Typescript preferring modules over namespaces.

Modules also have a dependency on a module loader (such as CommonJs/Require.js) or a runtime which supports ES Modules. Modules provide for better code reuse, stronger isolation and better tooling support for bundling.

Source 1

Using a create-react-app typescript project, you should have installed typescript and ts-jest (or the create-react-app should handle the dependencies based on wether you ejected the app or not).

Also ts-jest has some information about it:

By default ts-jest uses TypeScript compiler in the context of a project (yours), with full type-checking and features. But it can also be used to compile each file separately, what TypeScript calls an ‘isolated module’. That’s what the isolatedModules option (which defaults to false) does.

Source 2

As soon as you use the export command you are creating a module out of what is being exported.

If you are using ts-jest, you can add these settings without affecting your other modules, which the create-react-app will consist off.

"ts-jest": {
  "isolatedModules": false
}

And checkout the ts-jest page (second source) for the pro's and con's.

-1
votes

how about just do .eslintignore add the file folder where u need to ignore from eslint so no errors on that --isolatedModules error fixed by any imports and u can test your logics their