README.md

dts-bundle

Export TypeScript .d.ts files as an external module definition

This module is a naïve string-based approach at generating bundles from the .d.ts declaration files generated by a TypeScript compiler.

The main use-case is generating definition for npm/bower modules written in TypeScript (commonjs/amd) so the TypeScript code should following the external-module pattern (using import/export's and --outDir).

⚠️ Experimental; use with care.

This module was born out of necessity and frustration. It is a little hacky but at least it seems to work..

• Original code was extracted from an ad-hoc Grunt-task so for now it is fully synchronous with no error feedback.
• It works by line-by-line string operations so please report any edge-cases.

Usage

1. Get it from npm:

npm install dts-bundle

2. Compile your modules with the TypeScript compiler of your choice with the --declaration and --outDir flags (and probably --module commonjs too).

Something like:

tsc src/index.ts --declaration --module commonjs --target es5 --outDir build

3. Run dts-bundle

Let's assume the project is called cool-project and the main module is build/index.js with a build/index.d.ts:

var dts = require('dts-bundle');

dts.bundle({
	name: 'cool-project',
	main: 'build/index.d.ts'
});

This will traverse all references and imports for the .d.ts files of your sub-modules and write build/cool-project.d.ts with the bundle of all 'local' imports.

Optional:

4. Bonus points if you link the generated definition in your package.json's (or bower.json) typescript element:

{
	"name": "cool-project",
	"version": "0.1.3",

	"typescript": {
		"definition": "build/cool-project.d.ts"
	}
}

Using this makes the definition findable for tooling, for example the TypeScript Definitions package manager (from v0.6.x) can auto-link these into tsd.d.ts bundle file.

Wrappers

There is also a Grunt plugin grunt-dts-bundle that goes well with Grunt based compilers, like grunt-ts or grunt-typescript.

Options

Example of all options:

var opts = {

	// Required

	// name of module likein package.json
	// - used to declare module & import/require
	name: 'cool-project', 
	// path to entry-point (generated .d.ts file for main module)
	// - either relative or absolute 
	main: 'build/index.d.ts', 

	// Optional

	// base directory to be used for discovering type declarations (i.e. from this project itself) 
	// - default: dirname of main
	baseDir: 'build',
	// path of output file
	// - default: "<baseDir>/<name>.d.ts" 
	out: 'dist/cool-project.d.ts',
	// include typings outside of the 'baseDir' (i.e. like node.d.ts)
	// - default: false 
	externals: false,
	// filter to exclude typings, either a RegExp or a callback. match path relative to opts.baseDir
	// - RegExp: a match excludes the file
	// - function: (file:String, external:Boolean) return true to exclude, false to allow
	// - always use forward-slashes (even on Windows)
	// - default: *pass*
	exclude: /^defs\/$/,
  	// delete all source typings (i.e. "<baseDir>/**/*.d.ts")
	// - default: false
	removeSource: false,
	// newline to use in output file 
	newline: os.EOL,
	// indentation to use in output file
	// - default 4 spaces
	indent: '	', 
	// prefix for rewriting module names
	// - default '__'
	prefix: '__', 
	// separator for rewriting module 'path' names
	// - default: forward slash (like sub-modules)
	separator: '/', 
	// enable verbose mode, prints detailed info about all references and includes/excludes
	// - default: false
	verbose: false, 
};

// require module
var dts = require('dts-bundle');

// run it
dts.bundle(opts);

Todo

• add feature to create a DefinitelyTyped header (using definition-header package)
• add feature to auto-update package.json/bower.json with the definition link
• find time to implement a parser based solution
• run IO asyncronous

History

• 0.2.x - Fixed bugs & added many options (thanks @poelstra)
• 0.1.x - First release

Contributions

They are very welcome. Beware this module is a quick hack-job so good luck!

• Martin Poelstra (@poelstra): Exclude 'external' typings, optional debug output, improved configurability.

License

Copyright (c) 2014 Bart van der Schoor

Licensed under the MIT license.