uncaughtException: ⨯ Unable to compile TypeScript:
src/import/law.ts(2,28): error TS7016: Could not find a declaration file for module 'csv-string'. '/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/csv-string/index.js' implicitly has an 'any' type.
  Try `npm install @types/csv-string` if it exists or add a new declaration (.d.ts) file containing `declare module 'csv-string';`
TSError: ⨯ Unable to compile TypeScript:
src/import/law.ts(2,28): error TS7016: Could not find a declaration file for module 'csv-string'. '/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/csv-string/index.js' implicitly has an 'any' type.
  Try `npm install @types/csv-string` if it exists or add a new declaration (.d.ts) file containing `declare module 'csv-string';`
    at createTSError (/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:228:12)
    at getOutput (/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:334:40)
    at Object.compile (/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:367:11)
    at Module.m._compile (/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:413:43)
    at Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:700:10)
    at Object.require.extensions.(anonymous function) [as .ts] (/home/patrick/dev/bodner-api/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:416:12)
    at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:599:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:538:12)
    at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:530:3)
    at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:637:17)
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👍 for broken custom typings.

node-ts 8.0.1 have no such problem, also tsc doesn't see any problems with TS 3.3.3
My case:
start script at package.json:
"scripts": {
    "server-dev": "ts-node --project src/server/tsconfig.json src/server/server.ts"
project structure:
<project_root>/
-- tsconfig.json
--src/
    server.config.ts
    --server/
        -- typings/
            -- hapi/
                -- index.d.ts
        server.ts
        tsconfig.json
contents of typings/hapi/index.d.ts:
import {ServerOptionsCache} from 'hapi';
declare module 'hapi' {
    interface ApplicationState {
        cache?: ServerOptionsCache;
base tsconfig.json:
  "compilerOptions": {
    "lib": [
      "dom",
      "es6",
      "dom.iterable",
      "scripthost",
      "es2017"
    "jsx": "react",
    "noEmit": true,
    "noErrorTruncation": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "noUnusedLocals": true,
    "noUnusedParameters": true,
    "allowSyntheticDefaultImports": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "pretty": true
src/server/tsconfig.json:
  "extends": "../../tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "commonjs",
    "experimentalDecorators": true,
    "target": "ES5",
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "sourceMap": true,
    "typeRoots": [
      "../../node_modules/@types",
      "./typings/hapi"
  "include": [
    "../server",
    "../server.config.ts"
  "exclude": [
    "../client"
error stacktrace:
> [email protected] server-dev D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre
> ts-node --project src/server/tsconfig.json src/server/server.ts
Mon, 18 Feb 2019 10:54:05 GMT sequelize deprecated String based operators are now deprecated. Please use Symbol based operators for better security, read more at http://docs.sequelizejs.com/manual/tutorial/querying.html#operators at node_modules\sequelize\lib\sequelize.js:242:13
D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:228
    return new TSError(diagnosticText, diagnosticCodes)
TSError: ⨯ Unable to compile TypeScript:
src/server.config.ts(59,24): error TS2339: Property 'cache' does not exist on type 'ApplicationState'.
    at createTSError (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:228:12)
    at getOutput (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:334:40)
    at Object.compile (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:367:11)
    at Module.m._compile (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:413:43)
    at Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:700:10)
    at Object.require.extensions.(anonymous function) [as .ts] (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:416:12)
    at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:599:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:538:12)
    at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:530:3)
    at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:637:17)
    at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:20:18)
    at Object.<anonymous> (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\src\server\server.ts:8:1)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:689:30)
    at Module.m._compile (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:413:23)
    at Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:700:10)
    at Object.require.extensions.(anonymous function) [as .ts] (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\index.ts:416:12)
    at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:599:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:538:12)
    at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:530:3)
    at Function.Module.runMain (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:742:12)
    at Object.<anonymous> (D:\IdeaProjects\huckleberry-ogre\node_modules\ts-node\src\bin.ts:151:12)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:689:30)
@blakeembrey did try your approach, still having this issue with 8.0.2 😞




    

  "compilerOptions": {
    "sourceMap": true, // allow sourcemap support
    "strictNullChecks": true, // enable strict null checks as a best practice
    "strict": true,
    "target": "esnext", // specify ECMAScript target version
    "module": "commonjs",
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "noImplicitAny": true,
    "declaration": false,
    "typeRoots": ["./node_modules/@types", "./typings"],
    "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,
    "experimentalDecorators": true,
    "outDir": "./build"
  "include": ["./src/", "./typings"],
  "exclude": ["node_modules", ".logs", "upload"]
Folder structure is as described in https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node#help-my-types-are-missing.
          
Also, that link about "help my types are missing" mentioned shows this structure:
<project_root>/
-- tsconfig.json
-- typings/
  -- <module_name>/
    -- index.d.ts
But im not sure what to put for <module_name> when my module name is @ABC/module123. You cannot have slashes in a folder name.
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In my case, I was trying to use an express.d.ts file but following 3dmard's example (https://github.com/3mard/ts-node-example) solved the issue.
Here is an example for Express.Request
Create a file located at typings/express/index.d.ts :
declare namespace Express {
    export interface Request {
        token: string;
Add the typeRoots entry in the tsconfig.json, with the right order :
    "compilerOptions": {
        "typeRoots": ["./typings", "./node_modules/@types"],
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@zerubeus's comment helped me and fixed missing declarations error, thank you. But what exactly are --files flag? Readme doesn't actually help, or it's just me who doesn't get it.
Load files from tsconfig.json on startup
Which files does it load? I don't have files property in my tsconfig.json, so how is it referred to each other? I have typeRoots in my tsconfig.json, but ts-node doesn't seem to tolerate it at all until you provide --files flag. Then why are typeRoots referenced as solution to missing types in https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node#help-my-types-are-missing? It's just seems unlogical.
          
@evenfrost It seems that omitting --files make the compiler ignore files and include of tsconfig.json
https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node/blob/master/src/index.ts#L644
Then why are typeRoots referenced as solution to missing types in https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node#help-my-types-are-missing? It's just seems unlogical.
Your typeRoots probably aren't configured properly if it doesn't work.
Feel free to submit a PR improving documentation.
          
@blakeembrey I've tried both with and without typeRoots at all and got the same result.
Feel free to submit a PR improving documentation.
To submit a PR, one should have an understanding about what they're doing. I just don't get what this option does, that's why I'm asking here.
          
@evenfrost I found this from TypeScript official docs. I think it could answer your question.
If the "files" and "include" are both left unspecified, the compiler defaults to including all TypeScript (.ts, .d.ts and .tsx) files in the containing directory and subdirectories except those excluded using the "exclude" property.
@kgaregin Your typeRoots should be only "./typings". Does that work now?
@blakeembrey could you explain why this is the case? Just ran into this on a project I'm working on and trying to understand how this works. I'm guessing it has something to do with using the first declaration found on the path? I tried leaving the path to 'node_modules/@types', but putting it after the custom typings folder in my project, and it also worked.
          
@kyle221b I'm pretty sure that comment needs to be read in context, you'll need to see the previous comment. Specifically, that user tried to do ./typings/hapi - I was clarifying for him that it should have only been ./typings and the hapi is added automatically by the TypeScript compiler typing to find hapi.
          
@blakeembrey Ah okay yeah I read it in context. I just took it to mean that you meant to remove the type root referencing "node_modules/@types". I understand what you meant now.
Despite me misinterpreting, when I removed the node modules reference or put the path to my custom typing folder first, ts-node would find the custom type and use it, but when I put the node_modules/@types reference first, it fails to find my custom type.
The actual use case is trying to override some types provided by the Sequelize library. I was curious if you had insight as to why this was the case. Was looking to add some info to the docs but don't have a clear explanation as to why things are working this way
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I added a file ./typings/express/index.d.ts with the following code:
import { User } from '../../modules/users/models/user'
declare global {
  namespace Express {
    export interface Request {
      user?: User;
It was not working, until i inverted type typings and node_modules/@types, it ended like this:
"typeRoots": ["./src/typings", "./node_modules/@types"],
          
To help anyone who is just looking for something else to try here is what worked for me when trying to extend ExpressJS' Request. I had to have tried more than a dozen things before getting this to work:
Flip the order of what everyone is recommending in the "typeRoots" of your tsconfig.json (and don't forget to drop the src pathing if you have a rootDir setting in tsconfig such as "./src"). Example:
"typeRoots": [
      "./node_modules/@types",
      "./your-custom-types-dir"
Example of custom extension ('./your-custom-types-dir/express/index.d.ts"). I had to use inline import and default exports to use classes as a type in my experience so that is shown too:
declare global {
  namespace Express {
    interface Request {
      customBasicProperty: string,
      customClassProperty: import("../path/to/CustomClass").default;
Update your nodemon.json file to add the "--files" command to ts-node, example:
  "restartable": "rs",
  "ignore": [".git", "node_modules/**/node_modules"],
  "verbose": true,
  "exec": "ts-node --files",
  "watch": ["src/"],
  "env": {
    "NODE_ENV": "development"
  "ext": "js,json,ts"
          
With nodemon in package.json
"scripts": {
    "start:dev": "nodemon -r dotenv/config --watch 'src/**/*.ts' --exec 'ts-node --files' src/server.ts",
          
For people who open this issue based on not working typeRoots in VSCode debugger.

Take a look at my launch.json config file. To say ts-node to load files from typeRoots you need to add:
      "env": {
        "TS_NODE_FILES": "true",
        "TS_NODE_PROJECT": "./tsconfig.json"
It works for me

          
We just updated from 8.9.1 to 8.10.1 and this bug cropped up. All our typing settings have been working for years with no problems. It looks like the update broke it. I reverted to 8.9.1 and voila, everything works now.
UPDATE:

When I added the --files flag using the newer version of ts-node (8.10.1) the build was still failing but when I reverted my code I had the --flag set as well. Once I removed the --files flag on the original version it failed.
The strange thing is that we have been using ts-node without the --files flag for years. Also worth noting that this only happens in production. Our local ts-node is run inside nodemon and is unaffected by this bug and does not require the files flag. Both production and our local dev environment all use the same tsconfig.
          
@webberwang @pedroSoaresll @inlightmedia are you able to try the latest code from master?  There's an unreleased bugfix on master, and it would be helpful to know whether or not it fixes your issue.
You can download the latest master build from Github Actions: https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node/suites/981035643/artifacts/12548599

Then npm install ts-node-packed.tgz.zip

EDIT: This syntax may not be 100% correct but it's explained here: https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/install
We can publish a release over the weekend.
          
Using ts-node 8.5.0, typescript 3.9.7, trying to add custom declaration file to @x/y package.

typeRoots didn't help:
Folders structure:
- root
    -- src
    -- types
        -- @x
                -- index.d.ts
    -- tsconfig.json
tsconfig.json:
  "compilerOptions": {
    "baseUrl": "./",
    "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "experimentalDecorators": true,
    "importHelpers": true,
    "module": "commonjs",
    "outDir": "dist",
    "removeComments": true,
    "sourceMap": true,
    "strict": true,
    "target": "es6",
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "paths": {
      "@models/*": [
        "src/models/*"
      "@shared/*": [
        "src/shared/*"
      "@server": [
        "src/Server"
    "types": [
      "node"
    "typeRoots": [
      "types",
      "node_modules/@types"
  "include": [
    "src/**/*.ts",
only the --files flag worked.

Feels like the wrong solution to include all ts files using the --files flag to make it work.
          
Try using a triple-slash directive to include the types.  https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/triple-slash-directives.html#-reference-types-
Keep in mind that tsc is effectively always using the --files flag.
looks like it works again with [email protected] version (like this "typeRoots": ["./node_modules/@types", "./typings"])
This has worked for me in 2021 for [email protected].
          
By default, ts-node does not load files, include or exclude from tsconfig.json on startup. The --files option enables it.
See https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node#missing-types
          
"Triple-slash directives are only valid at the top of their containing file. A triple-slash directive can only be preceded by single or multi-line comments, including other triple-slash directives. If they are encountered following a statement or a declaration they are treated as regular single-line comments, and hold no special meaning."