Referencing types | typescript-transformer | Spatie

 SPATIE

  TypeScript Transformer
=========================

spatie.be/open-source

  [Docs](https://spatie.be/docs)  [Typescript-transformer](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3)  Providers  Referencing types

 Version   v3   v2   v1

 Other versions for crawler [v3](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3) [v2](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v2) [v1](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v1)

  Referencing types
- [ Introduction ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/introduction)
- [ Postcardware ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/postcardware)
- [ Installation ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/installation)
- [ Questions &amp; issues ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/questions-and-issues)
- [ Changelog ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/changelog)
- [ About us ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/about-us)

Getting started
---------------

- [ Setting up ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/setting-up)
- [ Running TypeScript Transformer for the first time ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/first-run)
- [ Special attributes ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/attributes)
- [ Typing properties ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/typing-properties)
- [ Replacing common types ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/replacing-types)
- [ Formatters ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/getting-started/formatters)

Laravel
-------

- [ Installation and setup ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/installation-and-setup)
- [ Laravel Data ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/laravel-data)
- [ Controllers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/controllers)
- [ Routes ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/routes)
- [ Route filters ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/route-filters)
- [ Watch mode ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/laravel/watch-mode)

Custom transformers
-------------------

- [ Getting started ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/transformers/getting-started)
- [ Class transformer ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/transformers/class-transformer)
- [ Enum transformer ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/transformers/enum-transformer)

Transformed providers
---------------------

- [ Getting started ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/providers/getting-started)
- [ Using different writers in providers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/providers/writers-in-providers)
- [ Logging in providers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/providers/logging)
- [ Referencing types ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/providers/references)
- [ Helpers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/providers/helpers)

TypeScript nodes
----------------

- [ Introduction ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/typescript-nodes/introduction)
- [ Building your own TypeScript node ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/typescript-nodes/custom-nodes)
- [ Visiting TypeScript nodes ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/typescript-nodes/visitor)
- [ Node reference ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/typescript-nodes/reference)

Watch mode
----------

- [ How does it work? ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/watch-mode/how-it-works)
- [ Setting up the runner ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/watch-mode/setting-up-the-runner)
- [ Watch events ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/watch-mode/watch-events)
- [ PHP Nodes ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/watch-mode/php-nodes)

Advanced
--------

- [ Extensions ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/advanced/extensions)
- [ Managing transformers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/advanced/managing-transformers)
- [ Loggers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/advanced/loggers)
- [ Custom writers ](https://spatie.be/docs/typescript-transformer/v3/advanced/custom-writers)

 Referencing types
=================

Types sometimes reference other types like PHP classes referencing other PHP classes. Within the package a concept of references is used to link these types together.

When creating `Transformed` objects we've always used the `ClassStringReference` since we were referencing PHP classes, sometimes you might be transforming something which is not a PHP class for example a list of strings. In this case, you can use a `CustomReference`:

```
use Spatie\TypeScriptTransformer\References\CustomReference;

new Transformed(
    typeScriptNode: new TypeScriptAlias(
        new TypeScriptIdentifier('Type'),
        new TypeScriptUnion([new TypeScriptLiteral('PHP'), new TypeScriptLiteral('TypeScript')]),
    ),
    reference: new CustomReference('my_languages_package', 'some_languages'),
    location: ['App', 'Languages'],
);
```

A custom reference should be unique for each type, that's why it is built up from a group and a name. We advise you when creating a package (or if you're implementing a feature within your app) to choose a custom group name in order not to conflict with other packages.

In the end the transformed TypeScript will look like this:

```
namespace App.Languages {
    export type Type = 'PHP' | 'TypeScript';
}
```

It is possible to reference this type in another `Transformed` object:

```
new Transformed(
    typeScriptNode: new TypeScriptAlias(
        new TypeScriptIdentifier('Compiler'),
        new TypeScriptObject([
            new TypeScriptProperty('type', new CustomTypeReference('my_languages_package', 'some_languages')),
        ]),
    ),
    reference: new ClassStringReference(Compiler::class),
    location: ['App', 'Compilers'],
);
```

The transformed TypeScript now will look like this:

```
namespace App.Compilers {
    export type Compiler = {
        type: App.Languages.Type;
    };
}
```

Since we're using the same reference, the package is smart enough to link them together when transforming to TypeScript.

Off course, you can also reference PHP classes in the same way:

```
new Transformed(
    typeScriptNode: new TypeScriptAlias(
        new TypeScriptIdentifier('Post'),
        new TypeScriptObject([
            new TypeScriptProperty('publisher', new TypeScriptReference(new ClassStringReference(User::class))),
        ]),
    ),
    reference: new ClassStringReference(User::class),
    location: ['App', 'Models'],
);
```

 A good
match?
-------------

### What we do best

- All things Laravel
- Custom frontend components
- Building APIs
- AI-powered features
- Simplifying things
- Clean solutions
- Integrating services

### Not our cup of tea

- WordPress themes
- Cutting corners
- Free mockups to win a job
- "Just execute the briefing"

 In short: we'd like to be a **substantial part** of your project.

 [ Get in touch via email ](mailto:info@spatie.be?subject=A%20good%20match%21&body=Tell%20us%20as%20much%20as%20you%20can%20about%0A-%20your%20online%20project%0A-%20your%20planning%0A-%20your%20budget%0A-%20%E2%80%A6%0A%0AAnything%20that%20helps%20us%20to%20start%20straightforward%21)
