Setting up tsconfig with spec/test folder

Question

Say I put my code under src and tests under spec:

+ spec + --- classA.spec.ts + src + --- classA.ts + --- classB.ts + --- index.ts + tsconfig.json 

I want to only transpile src to the dist folder. Since index.ts is the entry point of my package, my tsconfig.json look like this:

{   "compileOptions": {     "module": "commonjs"     "outDir": "dist"   },   "files": {     "src/index.ts",     "typings/main.d.ts"   } } 

However, this tsconfig.json does not include the test files so I could not resolve dependencies in them.

On the other hand, if I include the test files into tsconfig.json then they are also transpiled to dist folder.

How do I solve this problem?

Answer 1

I ended up defining multiple config files and use extends to simplify them.

Say I have two files: tsconfig.json and tsconfig.build.json

// tsconfig.json {   ...   "exclude": [...] }  // tsconfig.build.json {   ...   "files": [ "typings/index.d.ts", "src/index.ts" ] } 

This way, I can have fine control on what to build (using tsc -p tsconfig.build.json) and what the ts language service (IDE) handles.

UPDATE: now as my projects grow, I ended up having more config files. I use the "extend" feature that is now available in TypeScript:

// tsconfig.base.json {   // your common settings. Mostly "compilerOptions".   // Do not include "files" and "include" here,   // let individual config handles that.   // You can use "exclude" here, but with "include",   // It's pretty much not necessary. }  // tsconfig.json {   // This is used by `ts language service` and testing.   // Includes source and test files.   "extends": "./tsconfig.base.json",   "atom": { ... },   "compilerOptions": {     // I set outDir to place all test build in one place,     // and avoid accidentally running `tsc` littering test build to my `src` folder.     "outDir": "out/spec"     }   "include": [ ... ] }  // tsconfig.commonjs.json or tsconfig.systemjs.json or tsconfig.global.json etc {   "extends": "./tsconfig.base.json",   "compilerOptions": {     // for some build this does not apply     "declaration": true/false,     "outDir": "dist/<cjs, sys, global, etc>",     "sourceRoot": "..."   },   // Only point to typings and the start of your source, e.g. `src/index.ts`   "files": [ ... ],   "include": [ ... ]  }