Definition duplication is necessary for TypeScript object properties

I'm currently facing a challenge with TypeScript as I attempt to develop a function that properly assigns default values for an optional object within another object.

Even though I am setting up everything in the parameters, I keep encountering an error indicating that one of the properties (options.target.value) might be undefined. This particular object can either be provided optionally when the function is called and must adhere to an interface requiring the property, or it will be assigned using a function that also follows the same interface if not provided.

What's perplexing is that despite supplying a default options.target, TypeScript isn't satisfied; however, if I check !options.target and provide it through the getTarget() function, TypeScript behaves just fine. Could this be a bug in TypeScript, or am I misinterpreting how default object properties should be configured?

Thank you!

function getTarget(): Target {
    const target: Target = page.targets[0];
    console.log('target._id = ', target._id); //always OK, TS does not mark this as possibly undefined.
    return target;
}


function test(
    options: {target?: Target;} //when provided, must have a 'value' property
           = {target: getTarget()} //if not provided, default always has a 'value' property
) {
    if (!options.target) { options.target = getTarget(); } //without this, I get the TS error below
    console.log('options.target', options.target); //always OK
    console.log('options.target', options.target.value); //ERROR: TS2532 Object is possibly 'undefined' if required line above commented out
}

Answer №1

When it comes to providing default arguments for nested values, things can get a bit tricky.

Let's dissect the function signature provided here:

function test(
    options: { target?: Target } = { target: getTarget() }
)

To simplify, the test function takes a single optional argument named options. This options object includes an optional property called target. If this argument is left out, a default value will be used with a specified target.

This setup allows for the following function calls:

test() // default object utilized
test({}) // default object not utilized, target left out
test({ target: someTarget }) // default object not utilized, target included.

In the case of test({}), the target in your function would remain undefined because you omitted to provide a target and prevented the default argument from being applied.

To address this issue, one solution would be to make the target non-optional:

function test(
    options: { target: Target } = { target: getTarget() }
) {
    console.log('options.target', options.target.value);
}

test() // works
test({ target: { _id: 123, value: 'test' }}) // Works

test({}) // Error

Alternatively, you could choose not to use default arguments at all and handle it manually:

function test(
    options?: { target?: Target }
) {
    const target = options?.target ?? getTarget()
    console.log('options.target', target.value);
}

test() // Works
test({ target: { _id: 123, value: 'test' } }) // Works
test({}) // Works

Playground

Answer №2

The goal you're pursuing would be successful if the variable options wasn't an object. TypeScript is alerting you to potential issues because there is a possibility of someone calling the function like this:

test({ });

As a result, options.target would end up being undefined.

To fix this problem, consider keeping the conditional check but remove the default value in the function definition.

Answer №3

A common reason for the error is due to defining the test function argument as optional. In simple terms, target?: Target translates to target: Target | undefined.

To resolve this issue, you can either eliminate the 'question mark' or continue to handle the scenario where target is undefined.

Answer №4

TS-friendly alternative syntax:

const test = ({
    target = getTarget(),
}: {
    target?: Target,
} = {}) => {
    console.log('target', target);
    console.log('target.value', target.value);
}

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