Javascript – Typescript compiler error when importing json file

commonjsjavascriptjsonnode.jstypescript

So the code is simple:

calls.json

{"SERVER":{
    "requests":{
      "one":"1"
    }
} }

file.ts

import json = require('../static/calls.json');
console.log(json.SERVER);

the generated javascript is correct and when running the node js server, the console log json.SERVER prints '{ requests: { one: '1' } }', as it should.

The typescript compiler (commonjs) however, somehow does not particularly like this situation and throws: "Cannot find module '../static/calls.json'".

Ofcourse I tried writing a .d.ts file, like this:

declare module '../static/calls.json'{
    var exp:any;
    export = exp;
}

this then obviously throws: "Ambient module declaration cannot specify relative module name".

I also tried different variants, like:

declare module 'calls.json' {
    import * as json from '/private/static/calls.json';
    export = json;
}

and then requiring:

import json = require('calls.json');

None work properly and have their own little compiler errors 🙂

I want to use an external .json file because I use commonjs serverside and amd clientside and I want a single file for loading constants.

Best Answer

Use var instead of import.

var json = require('./calls.json');

You're loading a JSON file, not a module, so import shouldn't be used is this case. When var is used, require() is treated like a normal function again.

If you're using a Node.js definition, everything should just work, otherwise require will need to be defined.

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