Type conflict between algoliasearch client and its usage in instantSearch

[bidoubiwa]

🐛 Bug description

related to: #4911

The InstantSearch client returns upon search with the geo widget the insideBoundingBox field containing a string.

See the following test:

https://github.com/algolia/instantsearch.js/blob/6e6293046de82f90336bc857efa9d0f5fcb8e62b/src/widgets/geo-search/__tests__/geo-search-test.ts#L1717-L1721

Nonetheless the declared type dictates that it should return an array of array of numbers:

see SearchOptions types.

readonly insideBoundingBox?: ReadonlyArray<readonly number[]>;

🔍 Bug reproduction

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Create a custom searchClient for instantSearch
2. Try to adapt insideBoundingBox
3. TypeError

Argument of type 'readonly (readonly number[])[] | undefined' is not assignable to parameter of type 'string'.

💭 Expected behavior

They should be of same type

Environment

• "algoliasearch": "^4.10.5",
• "instantsearch.js": "^4.30.1",

[Haroenv]

yes, it's really the client type that is a little more restrictive than needed. Does having a ts-ignore have an impact on any site though?

The correct type is ReadonlyArray<readonly number[]> | `${number},${number},${number},${number}`;, and then the ts-ignore could be ignored, when the algoliasearch requirement is set to the version in which that fix is done

[bidoubiwa]

Does having a ts-ignore have an impact on any site though?

It creates a bit of magic code/technical debt as you'll have to remember that somewhere in your code lies a ts-ignore that may create bugs if instantSearch decides to change the type of insindeBoundingBox.

It is the reason I think why you use TypeScript, to avoid manipulating variables in another type.

The correct type is ReadonlyArray<readonly number[]> | ${number},${number},${number},${number};, and then the ts-ignore could be ignored, when the algoliasearch requirement is set to the version in which that fix is done

Thats cool 😊 Is the fix planned for a near release?

[Haroenv]

I'd need to check whether the typescript version required in algoliasearch is modern enough to allow template strings, but otherwise, feel free to make a pull request and then it will be fixed @bidoubiwa :)

[bidoubiwa]

I will do that! Thanks a lot for your answers :) I thought you might not want to change the types of algoliasearch-client as they are independent of instantsearch 😅. But If it's oke and if it does not break the whole package, I will absolutely do the PR!

[bidoubiwa]

Should be fixed by: algolia/algoliasearch-client-javascript#1310