no-inline-imports

No Inline Type Imports

CRITICAL: Never use inline type imports (e.g., import('./module').Type) in source files. Always use top-level type imports instead.

The Problem

Inline type imports like import('./module').Type make code harder to read, maintain, and understand. They hide dependencies and make it difficult to see what types are being used in a file.

The Solution

❌ WRONG: Inline type import

export interface OperationExpr {
  readonly returns: import('./operations-registry').ReturnSpec;
  readonly lowering: import('./operations-registry').LoweringSpec;
}

✅ CORRECT: Top-level type import

import type { LoweringSpec, ReturnSpec } from './operations-registry';

export interface OperationExpr {
  readonly returns: ReturnSpec;
  readonly lowering: LoweringSpec;
}

Benefits

• Better readability: All imports are visible at the top of the file
• Easier maintenance: Dependencies are clear and easy to update
• Consistent style: Matches standard TypeScript import patterns
• Better tooling: IDEs can better track and refactor imports

How to Refactor

If you find inline type imports in source files:

1. Add top-level import: Add import type { TypeName } from './module' at the top
2. Replace inline usage: Replace import('./module').TypeName with TypeName
3. Verify: Ensure the file compiles and tests pass

Examples from Codebase

Good patterns:

• Top-level type imports: import type { ReturnSpec, LoweringSpec } from './operations-registry'
• Standard import statements at file top

Bad patterns (to avoid):

• import('./module').Type in interface definitions
• import('@internal/package').Type in type annotations
• Inline imports in function return types (except in tests)