Use TypeScript

Load the CLI package's declarations so your editor recognizes build options, maligator: imports, and runtime globals. Maligator strips erasable TypeScript; it does not type-check your application during a build.

Load the declarations

npm install --save-dev @maligator/cli@alpha typescript

Include the build file in your TypeScript project, or explicitly load the package types:

{
	"compilerOptions": {
		"target": "ESNext",
		"module": "NodeNext",
		"strict": true,
		"noEmit": true,
		"allowImportingTsExtensions": true,
		"erasableSyntaxOnly": true,
		"types": ["@maligator/cli"]
	},
	"include": ["src/**/*.ts", "maligator.build.ts"]
}

An alternative for a project that manages types through declarations is /// <reference types="@maligator/cli" /> in a .d.ts file. If you already set compilerOptions.types, add the package to that list; an explicit list restricts automatic type loading.

Use ES modules

For the .ts examples in these guides, set the project package format:

npm pkg set type=module

Run npm init --yes first if the project has no package.json. Maligator follows the nearest package's "type" for .js and .ts files. Use "module" for imports, exports, and top-level await; .mjs and .mts select ES modules by extension. .cjs and .cts select CommonJS.

Use erasable syntax

Write type annotations, interfaces, type aliases, and import type statements. Use .ts extensions for local TypeScript imports. Avoid syntax that needs runtime generation, including TypeScript enums and constructor parameter properties.

import { createPool, createWorkerUrl } from "maligator:workers";
import type { TaskContext } from "maligator:workers";

Run npx tsc --noEmit independently of maligator run. TypeScript catches type errors; Maligator checks compilation and runtime availability.

Enable the required runtime surface

Types for Mal.serve and node: modules do not enable those APIs. Set surface.webPlatform for Web APIs and Mal, or surface.node for supported Node modules. The lowercase mal namespace uses surface.maligator, which defaults to enabled.

The build reference lists the defaults. Compatibility lists supported standard APIs. If an import is unknown to the editor, first check type loading; if it fails at build time, check the module and surface support.

Continue with Configure a build or the worker guide.