How do you explicitly set a new property on `window` in TypeScript?

📝 Title: Explicitly Setting a New Property on window in TypeScript: No More Complaints!

Introduction: 💡

Are you tired of TypeScript complaining when you try to set a new property on window? Don't worry, you're not alone! In this blog post, we will explore how to overcome this common issue and keep TypeScript happy while still explicitly setting properties on window.

🚀 Problem: TypeScript complaining about setting a new property on window

Imagine this scenario: you want to setup global namespaces for your objects, and you decide to explicitly set a property on window like this:

window.MyNamespace = window.MyNamespace || {};

However, TypeScript underlines MyNamespace and displays the following complaint:

The property 'MyNamespace' does not exist on value of type 'Window'['MyNamespace']

💡 Solution: Making TypeScript happy without compromising

While TypeScript complains about this setup, there are a couple of easy solutions to overcome this issue and still keep window explicit:

Solution 1: Use type assertion

You can use type assertion to let TypeScript know that you are aware of the types and prevent it from raising any complaints. Here's how you can do it:

(window as any).MyNamespace = (window as any).MyNamespace || {};

By using the (window as any) syntax, you explicitly assert that the window object can have any property, including MyNamespace.

Solution 2: Augment the global type declaration

Another way to tackle this issue is by augmenting the global type declaration. This approach allows you to update the Window interface to include the new property. Here's how to do it step-by-step:

1. Create a new .d.ts file (e.g., global.d.ts) in your TypeScript project.

2. Add the following content to the newly created file:

interface Window {
  MyNamespace: any;
}

1. Make sure the .d.ts file is included in your project's TypeScript configuration (e.g., tsconfig.json).

By declaring the MyNamespace property inside the Window interface, TypeScript will no longer complain when you explicitly set the property on window.

🌟 Extra tip: TypeScript and the enigmatic 'any'

You're not alone in finding it funny that TypeScript complains about the MyNamespace property not existing on window, even though window is of type any, which allows for anything. TypeScript's behavior in this regard can be a bit mysterious, but the solutions provided should help you overcome this quirk.

🎉 Call-to-Action: Keep TypeScript happy while explicitly setting properties on window!

Now that you know how to satisfy TypeScript and explicitly set properties on window, it's time to put this knowledge into practice! Try out the solutions provided in your code and bid farewell to those unwanted complaints.

Have you encountered similar TypeScript issues? Share your experiences and solutions in the comments below. Let's help each other make TypeScript development a breeze! 👇

So go ahead, explore the solutions, and remember: no more complaints, just happy TypeScript coding! 🚀💻