refactor: enable type checks inside mixin classes

Introduce a new type helper `MixinTarget` allowing mixin functions
to accept a type that describes public members of the target class
only. This is working around the current TypeScript limitations.

Rework all existing mixins and the related documentation to use
`MixinTarget<RealClass>` instead of `Constructor<any>`.

Fix any errors discovered by the compiler after enabling type checks.

Signed-off-by: Miroslav Bajtoš <mbajtoss@gmail.com>

docs/site/Creating-components.md

@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ The following snippet is an abbreviated function
 {% include code-caption.html content="src/mixins/repository.mixin.ts" %}
 
 ```ts
-export function RepositoryMixin<T extends Class<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function RepositoryMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(superClass: T) {
   return class extends superClass {
     constructor(...args: any[]) {
       super(...args);

docs/site/Mixin.md

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Define mixin `TimeStampMixin`:
 ```ts
 import {Class} from '@loopback/repository';
 
-export function TimeStampMixin<T extends Class<any>>(baseClass: T) {
+export function TimeStampMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Object>>(baseClass: T) {
   return class extends baseClass {
     // add a new property `createdAt`
     public createdAt: Date;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ And define mixin `LoggerMixin`:
 ```ts
 import {Class} from '@loopback/repository';
 
-function LoggerMixin<T extends Class<any>>(baseClass: T) {
+function LoggerMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Object>>(baseClass: T) {
   return class extends baseClass {
     // add a new method `log()`
     log(str: string) {

docs/site/Testing-Your-Extensions.md

@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ class. Following is an example for an integration test for a Mixin:
 
 ```ts
 import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
-export function TimeMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function TimeMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Object>>(superClass: T) {
   return class extends superClass {
     constructor(...args: any[]) {
       super(...args);

docs/site/migration/models/mixins.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ This document will guide you in migrating custom model mixins, and custom
 method/remote method mixins in LoopBack 3 to their equivalent implementations in
 LoopBack 4.
 
-For an understanding of how models in LoopBack 3 are now architectually
+For an understanding of how models in LoopBack 3 are now architecturally
 decoupled into 3 classes (model, repository, and controller) please read
 [Migrating custom model methods](./methods.md).
 
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ import {property, Model} from '@loopback/repository';
  * @param superClass - Base Class
  * @typeParam T - Model class
  */
-export function AddCategoryPropertyMixin<T extends Constructor<Model>>(
+export function AddCategoryPropertyMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Model>>(
   superClass: T,
 ) {
   class MixedModel extends superClass {
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ import {FindByTitle} from './find-by-title-interface';
  */
 export function FindByTitleRepositoryMixin<
   M extends Model & {title: string},
-  R extends Constructor<CrudRepository<M>>
+  R extends MixinTarget<CrudRepository<M>>
 >(superClass: R) {
   class MixedRepository extends superClass implements FindByTitle<M> {
     async findByTitle(title: string): Promise<M[]> {
@@ -552,10 +552,12 @@ export interface FindByTitleControllerMixinOptions {
  */
 export function FindByTitleControllerMixin<
   M extends Model,
-  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  T extends Constructor<any> = Constructor<object>
+  T extends MixinTarget<object>
 >(superClass: T, options: FindByTitleControllerMixinOptions) {
   class MixedController extends superClass implements FindByTitle<M> {
+    // Value will be provided by the subclassed controller class
+    repository: FindByTitle<M>;
+
     @get(`${options.basePath}/findByTitle/{title}`, {
       responses: {
         '200': {
@@ -587,7 +589,7 @@ mixin class factory function needs to accept some options. We defined an
 interface `FindByTitleControllerMixinOptions` to allow for this.
 
 It is also a good idea to give the injected repository (in the controller super
-class) a generic name like `this.respository` to keep things simple in the mixin
+class) a generic name like `this.repository` to keep things simple in the mixin
 class factory function.
 
 #### Generating A Controller Via The CLI

examples/log-extension/README.md

@@ -228,12 +228,11 @@ providing it via `ApplicationOptions` or using a helper method
 `app.logLevel(level: number)`.
 
 ```ts
-import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
+import {MixinTarget, Application} from '@loopback/core';
 import {EXAMPLE_LOG_BINDINGS} from '../keys';
 import {LogComponent} from '../component';
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-export function LogMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function LogMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(superClass: T) {
   return class extends superClass {
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
     constructor(...args: any[]) {

examples/log-extension/src/mixins/log.mixin.ts

@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 // This file is licensed under the MIT License.
 // License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
 
-import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
-import {EXAMPLE_LOG_BINDINGS, LOG_LEVEL} from '../keys';
+import {Application, MixinTarget} from '@loopback/core';
 import {LogComponent} from '../component';
+import {EXAMPLE_LOG_BINDINGS, LOG_LEVEL} from '../keys';
 
 /**
  * A mixin class for Application that can bind logLevel from `options`.
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ import {LogComponent} from '../component';
  * class MyApplication extends LogMixin(Application) {}
  * ```
  */
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-export function LogMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function LogMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(superClass: T) {
   return class extends superClass {
     // A mixin class has to take in a type any[] argument!
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any

packages/boot/src/mixins/boot.mixin.ts

@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@
 
 import {
   Binding,
+  BindingFromClassOptions,
   BindingScope,
   Constructor,
   Context,
   createBindingFromClass,
 } from '@loopback/context';
+import {Application, Component, MixinTarget} from '@loopback/core';
 import {BootComponent} from '../boot.component';
 import {Bootstrapper} from '../bootstrapper';
 import {BootBindings, BootTags} from '../keys';
@@ -30,18 +32,8 @@ export {Binding};
  * - Provides the `booter()` convenience method to bind a Booter(s) to the Application
  * - Override `component()` to call `mountComponentBooters`
  * - Adds `mountComponentBooters` which binds Booters to the application from `component.booters[]`
- *
- * ******************** NOTE ********************
- * Trying to constrain the type of this Mixin (or any Mixin) will cause errors.
- * For example, constraining this Mixin to type Application require all types using by
- * Application to be imported (including it's dependencies such as ResolutionSession).
- * Another issue was that if a Mixin that is type constrained is used with another Mixin
- * that is not, it will result in an error.
- * Example (class MyApp extends BootMixin(RepositoryMixin(Application))) {};
- ********************* END OF NOTE ********************
  */
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-export function BootMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function BootMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(superClass: T) {
   return class extends superClass implements Bootable {
     projectRoot: string;
     bootOptions?: BootOptions;
@@ -57,26 +49,42 @@ export function BootMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
         () => this.projectRoot,
       );
       this.bind(BootBindings.BOOT_OPTIONS).toDynamicValue(
-        () => this.bootOptions,
+        () => this.bootOptions ?? {},
       );
     }
 
     /**
      * Convenience method to call bootstrapper.boot() by resolving bootstrapper
      */
     async boot(): Promise<void> {
-      if (this.state === 'booting') return this.awaitState('booted');
-      this.assertNotInProcess('boot');
-      this.assertInStates('boot', 'created', 'booted');
+      /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/ban-ts-ignore */
+      // A workaround to access protected Application methods
+      const self = (this as unknown) as Application;
+
+      if (this.state === 'booting') {
+        // @ts-ignore
+        return self.awaitState('booted');
+      }
+      // @ts-ignore
+      self.assertNotInProcess('boot');
+      // @ts-ignore
+      self.assertInStates('boot', 'created', 'booted');
+
       if (this.state === 'booted') return;
-      this.setState('booting');
+      // @ts-ignore
+      self.setState('booting');
+
       // Get a instance of the BootStrapper
       const bootstrapper: Bootstrapper = await this.get(
         BootBindings.BOOTSTRAPPER_KEY,
       );
 
       await bootstrapper.boot();
+
+      // @ts-ignore
       this.setState('booted');
+
+      /* eslint-enable @typescript-eslint/ban-ts-ignore */
     }
 
     /**
@@ -115,9 +123,17 @@ export function BootMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
      * app.component(ProductComponent);
      * ```
      */
-    public component(component: Constructor<{}>) {
-      super.component(component);
-      this.mountComponentBooters(component);
+    // Unfortunately, TypeScript does not allow overriding methods inherited
+    // from mapped types. https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/38496
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/ban-ts-ignore
+    // @ts-ignore
+    public component<C extends Component = Component>(
+      componentCtor: Constructor<C>,
+      nameOrOptions?: string | BindingFromClassOptions,
+    ) {
+      const binding = super.component(componentCtor, nameOrOptions);
+      this.mountComponentBooters(componentCtor);
+      return binding;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -129,7 +145,9 @@ export function BootMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
      */
     mountComponentBooters(component: Constructor<{}>) {
       const componentKey = `components.${component.name}`;
-      const compInstance = this.getSync(componentKey);
+      const compInstance = this.getSync<{
+        booters?: Constructor<Booter>[];
+      }>(componentKey);
 
       if (compInstance.booters) {
         this.booters(...compInstance.booters);

packages/core/src/core.types.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+// Copyright IBM Corp. 2017,2020. All Rights Reserved.
+// Node module: @loopback/core
+// This file is licensed under the MIT License.
+// License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+
+import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
+
+/**
+ * A replacement for `typeof Target` to be used in mixin class definitions.
+ * This is a workaround for TypeScript limitation described in
+ * - https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/17293
+ * - https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/17744
+ * - https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/36060
+ *
+ * @example
+ *
+ * ```ts
+ * export function MyMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(superClass: T) {
+ *   return class extends superClass {
+ *     // contribute new class members
+ *   }
+ * };
+ * ```
+ *
+ * TypeScript does not allow class mixins to access protected members from
+ * the base class. You can use the following approach as a workaround:
+ *
+ * ```ts
+ * // @ts-ignore
+ * (this as unknown as {YourBaseClass}).protectedMember
+ * ```
+ *
+ * The directive `@ts-ignore` suppresses compiler error about accessing
+ * a protected member from outside. Unfortunately, it also disables other
+ * compile-time checks (e.g. to verify that a protected method was invoked
+ * with correct arguments, and so on). This is the same behavior you
+ * would get by using `Constructor<any>` instead of `MixinTarget<Application>`.
+ * The major improvement is that TypeScript can still infer the return
+ * type of the protected member, therefore `any` is NOT introduced to subsequent
+ * code.
+ *
+ * TypeScript also does not allow mixin class to overwrite a method inherited
+ * from a mapped type, see https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/38496
+ * As a workaround, use `@ts-ignore` to disable the error.
+ *
+ * ```ts
+ * export function RepositoryMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Application>>(
+ * superClass: T,
+ * ) {
+ *   return class extends superClass {
+ *    // @ts-ignore
+ *    public component<C extends Component = Component>(
+ *      componentCtor: Constructor<C>,
+ *      nameOrOptions?: string | BindingFromClassOptions,
+ *    ) {
+ *      const binding = super.component(componentCtor, nameOrOptions);
+ *      // ...
+ *      return binding;
+ *    }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ */
+export type MixinTarget<T extends object> = Constructor<
+  {
+    // Enumerate only public members to avoid the following compiler error:
+    //   Property '(name)' of exported class expression
+    //   may not be private or protected.ts(4094)
+    [p in keyof T]: T[p];
+  }
+>;

packages/core/src/index.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export * from '@loopback/context';
 // Export APIs
 export * from './application';
 export * from './component';
+export * from './core.types';
 export * from './extension-point';
 export * from './keys';
 export * from './lifecycle';

packages/express/src/middleware-registry.ts

@@ -88,5 +88,4 @@ export interface MiddlewareRegistry {
 /**
  * Base Context that provides APIs to register middleware
  */
-export abstract class BaseMiddlewareRegistry extends MiddlewareMixin(Context)
-  implements MiddlewareRegistry {}
+export abstract class BaseMiddlewareRegistry extends MiddlewareMixin(Context) {}

packages/express/src/mixins/middleware.mixin.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   Constructor,
   Context,
   isBindingAddress,
+  MixinTarget,
   Provider,
 } from '@loopback/core';
 import {
@@ -36,8 +37,7 @@ function extendsFrom(
   return false;
 }
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-export function MiddlewareMixin<T extends Constructor<any>>(superClass: T) {
+export function MiddlewareMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Context>>(superClass: T) {
   if (!extendsFrom(superClass, Context)) {
     throw new TypeError('The super class does not extend from Context');
   }

packages/repository/src/__tests__/fixtures/mixins/category-property-mixin.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // This file is licensed under the MIT License.
 // License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
 
-import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
+import {MixinTarget} from '@loopback/core';
 import {Model, property} from '../../..';
 
 /**
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {Model, property} from '../../..';
  * @param superClass - Base Class
  * @typeParam T - Model class
  */
-export function AddCategoryPropertyMixin<T extends Constructor<Model>>(
+export function AddCategoryPropertyMixin<T extends MixinTarget<Model>>(
   superClass: T,
 ) {
   class MixedModel extends superClass {

packages/repository/src/__tests__/fixtures/mixins/find-by-title-repo-mixin.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // This file is licensed under the MIT License.
 // License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
 
-import {Constructor} from '@loopback/context';
+import {MixinTarget} from '@loopback/core';
 import {CrudRepository, Model, Where} from '../../..';
 
 /**
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export interface FindByTitle<M extends Model> {
  */
 export function FindByTitleRepositoryMixin<
   M extends Model & {title: string},
-  R extends Constructor<CrudRepository<M>>
+  R extends MixinTarget<CrudRepository<M>>
 >(superClass: R) {
   class MixedRepository extends superClass implements FindByTitle<M> {
     async findByTitle(title: string): Promise<M[]> {