As of TypeScript 2.8, this is now possible and actually an example in the PR for Conditional Types:
https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/pull/21316
Also see the notes on type inference for Conditional Types:
https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/pull/21496
I modified the example slightly to use the type inference for the readonly array value type because I find (infer R)[]
clearer than Array<T[number]>
but both syntaxes work. I also removed the example NonFunctionPropertyNames
bit as I want to preserve functions in my output.
type DeepReadonly<T> =
T extends (infer R)[] ? DeepReadonlyArray<R> :
T extends Function ? T :
T extends object ? DeepReadonlyObject<T> :
T;
interface DeepReadonlyArray<T> extends ReadonlyArray<DeepReadonly<T>> {}
type DeepReadonlyObject<T> = {
readonly [P in keyof T]: DeepReadonly<T[P]>;
};
Doing DeepReadonly this way also preserves optional fields (thanks to Mariusz for letting me know), e.g.:
interface A {
x?: number;
y: number;
}
type RA = DeepReadonly<A>;
// RA is effectively typed as such:
interface RA {
readonly x?: number;
readonly y: number;
}
While TS still has some easy ways to lose "readonly-ness" in certain scenarios, this is as close to a C/C++ style const
value as you will get.