Type Guards

Type guards help TypeScript narrow down types within conditional blocks.

typeof Guard

function processValue(value: string | number) {
  if (typeof value === "string") {
    return value.toUpperCase();
  } else {
    return value.toFixed(2);
  }
}

instanceof Guard

class Dog {
  bark() { console.log("Woof!"); }
}

class Cat {
  meow() { console.log("Meow!"); }
}

function makeSound(animal: Dog | Cat) {
  if (animal instanceof Dog) {
    animal.bark();
  } else {
    animal.meow();
  }
}

Custom Type Guard

interface Fish {
  swim: () => void;
}

interface Bird {
  fly: () => void;
}

function isFish(pet: Fish | Bird): pet is Fish {
  return (pet as Fish).swim !== undefined;
}

function move(pet: Fish | Bird) {
  if (isFish(pet)) {
    pet.swim();
  } else {
    pet.fly();
  }
}

in Operator

type Cat = { meow: () => void };
type Dog = { bark: () => void };

function makeSound(animal: Cat | Dog) {
  if ("meow" in animal) {
    animal.meow();
  } else {
    animal.bark();
  }
}