vite-plugin-dts

4.5.4 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

vite-plugin-dts is a Vite plugin that generates TypeScript declaration files (.d.ts) from your source code during the build process. Current stable version is 4.5.4, with frequent releases. It integrates with both TypeScript's built-in compiler and vue-tsc for Vue SFC support. Key differentiators include support for bundling declarations via @microsoft/api-extractor, path alias resolution, and a flexible plugin system with hooks like afterBootstrap. It is the de facto standard for declaration generation in Vite projects, actively maintained with a strong focus on compatibility and performance.

Common errors

error Error: [vite-plugin-dts] Failed to resolve module specifier './some-module' ↓

cause The plugin cannot resolve a module path that uses aliases not defined in TypeScript paths.

fix

Ensure your tsconfig has the correct 'paths' mapping and set 'tsconfigPath' option to the correct config.

error TypeError: dts is not a function ↓

cause Using default import incorrectly, or the plugin version does not support the import style being used.

fix

Use 'import dts from 'vite-plugin-dts'' with ESM, and ensure the package is installed and not a type-only export.

error Cannot find module 'vite-plugin-dts' or its corresponding type declarations. ↓

cause Package not installed or TypeScript resolution not aware of the module.

fix

Run 'npm install -D vite-plugin-dts' and ensure tsconfig 'types' includes 'vite/client' if needed.

error The 'rollupTypes' option is deprecated. Use 'bundleTypes' instead. ↓

cause Using an older option name from a previous version.

fix

Replace 'rollupTypes: true' with 'bundleTypes: true' in the plugin options.

Warnings

deprecated The 'beforeBundle' hook has been deprecated in v5.0.0-beta. Use 'afterBootstrap' instead. ↓

fix Replace 'beforeBundle' with 'afterBootstrap' in the plugin options.

breaking In v5.0.0, the plugin no longer supports CommonJS require() directly; it is ESM-only. ↓

fix Switch to ESM imports: import dts from 'vite-plugin-dts'

gotcha If using TypeScript path aliases, you must configure the 'tsconfigPath' option to match the resolved path. ↓

fix Set 'tsconfigPath' to the correct tsconfig file path, e.g., 'tsconfig.json'.

gotcha The plugin may generate duplicate declarations if 'include' overlaps with resolved 'tsconfig' includes. ↓

fix Specify a more precise 'include' pattern, e.g., exclude 'test' or 'stories'.

Install

npm install vite-plugin-dts

yarn add vite-plugin-dts

pnpm add vite-plugin-dts

Imports

vite-plugin-dts
wrong
```
const dts = require('vite-plugin-dts')
```
correct
```
import dts from 'vite-plugin-dts'
```
Default export; ESM-only. CommonJS require() will fail in some environments.
vitePluginDts
wrong
```
import { vitePluginDts } from 'vite-plugin-dts'
```
correct
```
import dts from 'vite-plugin-dts'
```
The default export is the plugin function. Named exports include types only.

PluginOptions

wrong

import { PluginOptions } from 'vite-plugin-dts'

correct

import type { PluginOptions } from 'vite-plugin-dts'

PluginOptions is a type, use import type for correctness.

Quickstart

Shows the basic configuration of vite-plugin-dts in a Vite config file. Includes include, outDir, and optional bundleTypes.

import dts from 'vite-plugin-dts'
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [
    dts({
      include: ['src/**/*.ts'],
      outDir: 'dist',
      // Optional: enable declaration bundling
      // bundleTypes: true
    })
  ]
})
// Then run 'vite build' to generate .d.ts files