Correctly specify types for modern React contexts

[t3chguy]

For https://github.com/vector-im/wat-internal/issues/65
Requires element-hq/element-web#24764

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This change is marked as an internal change (Task), so will not be included in the changelog.

[richvdh]

clearing review req while in draft

[germain-gg]

👏 Looks great!

[t3chguy]

babel/babel#13779 and microsoft/TypeScript#45995 are inherently blocking this if we want to use the declare syntax without disabling class properties and/or constructor property shorthand.

[Johennes]

babel/babel#13779 and microsoft/TypeScript#45995 are inherently blocking this if we want to use the declare syntax without disabling class properties and/or constructor property shorthand.

It looks like these issues haven't seen meaningful updates since 2021. 😕

Possibly a stupid question but is there any alternative that would not make us block the React 18 update on them?

[t3chguy]

@Johennes we would either need to ditch class property initialization or typescript constructor properties as they do not play well together once you enable support for the declare syntax.

[Johennes]

@Johennes we would either need to ditch class property initialization or typescript constructor properties as they do not play well together once you enable support for the declare syntax.

Hm, sounds like we couldn't realistically do either since both appear to be widely used? Is there a way in which we could avoid the declare syntax, assuming that's what's triggering the issue?

[t3chguy]

Is there a way in which we could avoid the declare syntax, assuming that's what's triggering the issue?

Maybe with a bunch of ts-ignores, but I would advise against that

[Johennes]

babel/babel#13779 and microsoft/TypeScript#45995 are inherently blocking this if we want to use the declare syntax without disabling class properties and/or constructor property shorthand.

As mentioned in the chapter sync today, element-hq/element-web#26079 may or may not help unblock this. I haven't done any explorations into that direction so far though.

[dzienisz]

Can I help somehow with this? React 18 is a must today.

[t3chguy]

@dzienisz sure if you know of a way around babel/babel#13779 & microsoft/TypeScript#45995 whilst allowing the use of the declare syntax to enable use of React 18 contexts in class components

[dzienisz]

My quick advice would be to ts-ignore it and write a comment with a link to this issue. Typescript is just a superset of JavaScript that, in my option it is to help you write a bug free code. In this case, Typescript has a bug, and it should not block you from upgrading this app.

[t3chguy]

@dzienisz even if you do that, you end with ~60+ broken tests due to changes in React & RTL. If you want to help you are more than welcome to fix the remaining ~30. #10314

[dzienisz]

Sure, I will try to run the project and jump into it, or we can meet one, and you could make me a quick into. What do you think?