TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'

Summary When compiling a Typescript file that uses MeiliSearch for Node.js, the error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request' causes the build to fail. This happens because this library uses the Request type from the DOM library, which is not available on Node.js environments.

Details Full log:

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:14:18 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
14         config?: Request;
                    ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:18:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
18     }, config?: Request): Promise<void>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:21:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
21     }, config?: Request): Promise<T>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:24:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
24     }, config?: Request): Promise<Types.IndexResponse>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:27:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
27     }, config?: Request): Promise<R>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:30:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
30     }, config?: Request): Promise<Types.IndexResponse>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:33:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
33     }, config?: Request): Promise<R>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:36:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
36     }, config?: Request): Promise<void>;
                   ~~~~~~~

node_modules/meilisearch/dist/types/http-requests.d.ts:39:17 - error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Request'.
39     }, config?: Request): Promise<T>;
                   ~~~~~~~

Found 9 errors.

My tsconfig:

{
    "compilerOptions": {
        "baseUrl": "",
        "strict": true,
        "lib": [
            "esnext"
        ],
        "module": "commonjs",
        "moduleResolution": "node",
        "outDir": "./dist",
        "target": "es2020",
        "typeRoots": [
            "node_modules/@types"
        ]
    },
    "files": [
        "index.ts"
    ]
}

Index.ts:

import MeiliSearch from 'meilisearch';

new MeiliSearch({
    apiKey: '123',
    host: 'http://some.url:7700',
});

Possible solutions

• Wait for cross-fetch to do something with the issue and then use the Request type from cross-fetch.
• Switch out cross-fetch for a module that does not require the DOM library to be enabled, and use its Request type. (axios?).
• Define your own Request type manually.

Workarounds

• Add skipLibCheck to the tsconfig.
  • Undesirable because this will disable all type checking against library declaration files.
• Add DOM to lib in tsconfig.
  • Undesirable because this adds and overwrites globals which are not available in Node.js environments.

References

• https://github.com/lquixada/cross-fetch/issues/70
• https://github.com/axios/axios

[bidoubiwa]

Hey @Ionaru

A quick fix is to add dom in your lib options inside tsconfig.json.

{
   "lib": [
       "esnext",
       "dom"
   ],
}

I would like a better solution to this problem as I think meilisearch-js should ship the Request type. What is weird to me is that cross-fetch has a type file at its root.

/// <reference lib="dom" />

declare const _fetch: typeof fetch;
declare const _Request: typeof Request;
declare const _Response: typeof Response;
declare const _Headers: typeof Headers;

declare module "cross-fetch" {
  export const fetch: typeof _fetch;
  export const Request: typeof _Request;
  export const Response: typeof _Response;
  export const Headers: typeof _Headers;
  export default fetch;
}

I’m not sure why this /// <reference lib="dom" /> is added.

@emyann do you have an idea of why that problem occurs?

[robertt]

Hey @bidoubiwa - I figured out. It was because of a weird regression in how yarn resolves dependences in monorepos, resulting in this error. After I fixed the resolution issue, it worked perfectly. I meant to come back remove/edit my comment - so sorry! This can be closed.

On a side note, meilisearch has been a blessing - so easy to deploy & use. Great job!