- name
- ts4023-effect-errors
- description
- Fix TS4023 errors when exporting Effect-based functions. Use when TypeScript reports "has or is using name 'X' from external module but cannot be named" for Effect error types, or when knip flags error type exports as unused.
# TS4023 with Effect Error Types
## Problem
Exporting function returning `Effect` → TypeScript generates `.d.ts` → error types in Effect's error channel not exported from source package → TS4023.
**TS4023 message is misleading**: mentions internal Effect types (`Channel`, `Sink`, `Stream` from `effect/Cause`), not actual missing errors.
## Solution
Export ALL error types that appear in any Effect's error channel - including non-exported `class` definitions.
### 1. Find ALL TaggedError classes (not just exported ones)
```bash
# Find Data.TaggedError and Schema.TaggedError (both can appear in Effect error channels)
rg "class \w+Error extends (Data|Schema)\.TaggedError" packages/<package-name>/src
```
**Critical**: Include classes WITHOUT `export` keyword. Example:
```typescript
// This ALSO needs to be exported if used in any Effect's error channel
class EmptyComponentSetError extends Data.TaggedError('EmptyComponentSetError')<{...}> {}
```
### 2. For non-exported errors, add export to source file first
```typescript
// Before
class EmptyComponentSetError extends Data.TaggedError('EmptyComponentSetError')<{...}> {}
// After
export class EmptyComponentSetError extends Data.TaggedError('EmptyComponentSetError')<{...}> {}
```
### 3. Then export from index.ts
```typescript
export type { EmptyComponentSetError } from './core/componentSetService';
```
### 4. Verify
```bash
npx tsc --build packages/<package-name> --force
```
## Why non-exported errors matter
If a service method like `ensureNonEmptyComponentSet` can fail with `EmptyComponentSetError`, that error type appears in the Effect's error channel. Any exported function calling that method inherits the error in its type signature. TypeScript needs to name it in `.d.ts`.
## Knip false positives
Knip flags these as "unused exports" when the error class is defined and used within the same file but exported only for TS4023 reasons. Ignore these warnings - TypeScript needs the exports for declaration emit, not runtime imports.
**Errors exported for cross-package consumption** (e.g. re-exported from a service package's `index.ts` and imported by another package) are NOT false positives - knip correctly sees them as used, so leave them as-is.
## Checklist
- [ ] `rg "class.*TaggedError"` - find ALL errors (with AND without `export`)
- [ ] Add `export` to any non-exported error classes used in Effect chains
- [ ] Add `export type { ErrorName }` to services `index.ts`
- [ ] `npx tsc --build <package> --force` passes
- [ ] Ignore knip "unused" warnings for these exports
View on GitHub