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tygo
Tygo is a tool for generating Typescript typings from Golang source files that just works.
Other than reflection-based methods it preserves comments, understands constants and also supports non-struct type expressions. It's perfect for generating equivalent types for a Golang REST API to be used in your front-end codebase.
Installation
# Go >= 1.17
go install github.com/gzuidhof/tygo@latest
# Go < 1.17:
go install github.com/gzuidhof/tygo
Example
Golang input file
// Comments are kept :)
type ComplexType map[string]map[uint16]*uint32
type UserRole = string
const (
UserRoleDefault UserRole = "viewer"
UserRoleEditor UserRole = "editor" // Line comments are also kept
)
type UserEntry struct {
// Instead of specifying `tstype` we could also declare the typing
// for uuid.NullUUID in the config file.
ID uuid.NullUUID `json:"id" tstype:"string | null"`
Preferences map[string]struct {
Foo uint32 `json:"foo"`
// An unknown type without a `tstype` tag or mapping in the config file
// becomes `any`
Bar uuid.UUID `json:"bar"`
} `json:"prefs"`
MaybeFieldWithStar *string `json:"address"`
Nickname string `json:"nickname,omitempty"`
Role UserRole `json:"role"`
Complex ComplexType `json:"complex"`
unexported bool // Unexported fields are omitted
Ignored bool `tstype:"-"` // Fields with - are omitted too
}
type ListUsersResponse struct {
Users []UserEntry `json:"users"`
}
Typescript output
/**
* Comments are kept :)
*/
export type ComplexType = {
[key: string]: { [key: number /* uint16 */]: number /* uint32 */ | undefined };
};
export type UserRole = string;
export const UserRoleDefault: UserRole = "viewer";
export const UserRoleEditor: UserRole = "editor"; // Line comments are also kept
export interface UserEntry {
/**
* Instead of specifying `tstype` we could also declare the typing
* for uuid.NullUUID in the config file.
*/
id: string | null;
prefs: {
[key: string]: {
foo: number /* uint32 */;
/**
* An unknown type without a `tstype` tag or mapping in the config file
* becomes `any`
*/
bar: any /* uuid.UUID */;
};
};
address?: string;
nickname?: string;
role: UserRole;
complex: ComplexType;
}
export interface ListUsersResponse {
users: UserEntry[];
}
For a real baptism by fire example, here is a Gist with output for the Go built-in net/http and time package.
Usage
Option A: CLI (recommended)
Create a file tygo.yaml in which you specify which packages are to be converted and any special type mappings you want to add.
packages:
- path: "github.com/gzuidhof/tygo/examples/bookstore"
type_mappings:
time.Time: "string /* RFC3339 */"
null.String: "null | string"
null.Bool: "null | boolean"
uuid.UUID: "string /* uuid */"
uuid.NullUUID: "null | string /* uuid */"
Then run
tygo generate
The output Typescript file will be next to the Go source files.
Option B: Library-mode
config := &tygo.Config{
Packages: []*tygo.PackageConfig{
&tygo.PackageConfig{
Path: "github.com/gzuidhof/tygo/examples/bookstore",
},
},
}
gen := tygo.New(config)
err := gen.Generate()
Config
# You can specify more than one package
packages:
# The package path just like you would import it in Go
- path: "github.com/my/package"
# Where this output should be written to.
# If you specify a folder it will be written to a file `index.ts` within that folder. By default it is written into the Golang package folder.
output_path: "webapp/api/types.ts"
# Customize the indentation (use \t if you want tabs)
indent: " "
# Specify your own custom type translations, useful for custom types, `time.Time` and `null.String`.
# Be default unrecognized types will be `any`.
type_mappings:
time.Time: "string"
my.Type: "SomeType"
# This content will be put at the top of the output Typescript file, useful for importing custom types.
frontmatter: |
"import {SomeType} from "../lib/sometype.ts"
# Filenames of Go source files that should not be included
# in the output.
exclude_files:
- "private_stuff.go"
See also the source file tygo/config.go.
Type hints through tagging
You can tag struct fields with tstype to specify their output Typescript type.
Custom type mapping
// Golang input
type Book struct {
Title string `json:"title"`
Genre string `json:"genre" tstype:"'novel' | 'crime' | 'fantasy'"`
}
// Typescript output
export interface Book {
title: string;
genre: "novel" | "crime" | "fantasy";
}
Alternative
You could use the frontmatter field in the config to inject export type Genre = "novel" | "crime" | "fantasy" at the top of the file, and use tstype:"Genre". I personally prefer that as we may use the Genre type more than once.
Required fields
Pointer type fields usually become optional in the Typescript output, but sometimes you may want to require it regardless.
You can add ,required to the tstype tag to mark a pointer type as required.
// Golang input
type Nicknames struct {
Alice *string `json:"alice"`
Bob *string `json:"bob" tstype:"BobCustomType,required"`
Charlie *string `json:"charlie" tstype:",required"`
}
// Typescript output
export interface Nicknames {
alice?: string;
bob: BobCustomType;
charlie: string;
}
Generics
Tygo supports generic types (Go version >= 1.18) out of the box.
// Golang input
type UnionType interface {
uint64 | string
}
type ABCD[A, B string, C UnionType, D int64 | bool] struct {
A A `json:"a"`
B B `json:"b"`
C C `json:"c"`
D D `json:"d"`
}
// Typescript output
export type UnionType =
number /* uint64 */ | string
;
export interface ABCD<A extends string, B extends string, C extends UnionType, D extends number /* int64 */ | boolean> {
a: A;
b: B;
c: C;
d: D;
}
Related projects
- typescriptify-golang-structs: Probably the most popular choice. The issue with this package is that it relies on reflection rather than parsing, which means that certain things can't be kept such as comments. The CLI generates Go file which is then executed and reflected on, and its library requires you to manually specify all types that should be converted.
- go2ts: A transpiler with a web interface, this project was based off this project. It's perfect for quick one-off transpilations. There is no CLI, no support for
constand there are no ways to customize the output.
