Typescript: How to define type for a function callback (as any function type, not universal any) used in a method parameter

Question

Currently I have type definition as:

interface Param {
    title: string;
    callback: any;
}

I need something like:

inter         


        

Answer 1

Typescript: How to define type for a function callback used in a method parameter?

You can declare the callback as 1) function property or 2) method:

interface ParamFnProp {
    callback: (a: Animal) => void; // function property
}

interface ParamMethod {
    callback(a: Animal): void; // method
}

There is an important typing difference since TS 2.6:

You get stronger ("sound") types in --strict or --strictFunctionTypes mode, when a function property is declared. Let's take an example:

const animalCallback = (a: Animal): void => { } // Animal is the base type for Dog
const dogCallback = (d: Dog): void => { } 

// function property variant
const param11: ParamFnProp = { callback: dogCallback } // error: not assignable
const param12: ParamFnProp = { callback: animalCallback } // works

// method variant
const param2: ParamMethod = { callback: dogCallback } // now it works again ...

Technically spoken, methods are bivariant and function properties contravariant in their arguments under strictFunctionTypes. Methods are still checked more permissively (even if not sound) to be a bit more practical in combination with built-in types like Array.

Summary

• There is a type difference between function property and method declaration
• Choose a function property for stronger types, if possible

Playground sample code