Skip to content

Root TypeScript project references

Problem

No root tsconfig.json exists. IDE navigation across workspace boundaries (e.g., jumping from an LMS route into platform-config source) relies on individual tsconfig paths and package exports. This works but has friction:

  • "Go to Definition" sometimes opens .d.ts files instead of source
  • Whole-repo incremental typecheck (tsc --build) is not possible
  • IDE restart required after package builds to pick up new types

Proposal

  1. Add root tsconfig.json with references pointing to each app and package
  2. Each workspace's tsconfig adds composite: true
  3. Enables tsc --build for faster incremental whole-repo type-checking

Acceptance criteria

  • Root tsconfig.json with references array exists
  • All workspace tsconfigs include composite: true
  • tsc --build from root succeeds
  • Existing turbo run typecheck behavior unchanged
  • IDE "Go to Definition" resolves to .ts source files across packages
  • npm run check passes

Out of scope

  • Changing any existing paths aliases
  • Modifying tsup build configs
  • Adding project references for test tsconfigs

Notes / decisions log

  • 2026-07-07: Proposed. Low priority — current setup works, this is a polish improvement for IDE ergonomics.
  • 2026-07-09: Deferred — moved to tickets/deferred/; no active implementation planned.