fix-knip-unused-exports

Fix Knip Unused Exports

Fix knip "Unused exports" violations. There are several categories of violation, each with a different fix strategy.

When to Use

• npm run knip reports "Unused exports"

When NOT to Use

• The export is consumed by non-test production code in another file -- something else is wrong

Workflow

1. Identify Violations

npm run knip

Output looks like:

Unused exports (3)
::error file=packages/foo/src/bar.ts,line=42,title=Unused exports::myFunction

2. Classify Each Violation

For each flagged export, grep the entire repository (not just the package):

rg "myFunction"

Determine which category it falls into:

Important: When grepping, exclude test files to identify production consumers:

rg "myFunction" --glob '!**/*.test.*'

Fix: Test-Only Exports (Extract to New File)

When a function is exported solely for test access but is also used internally in the same file.

Plan the Extraction

Before writing code, answer these questions:

a) What moves to the new file?

• The flagged export function/class/const
• All private helper functions it depends on
• All private constants/types it depends on

b) Are any helpers shared with functions staying behind?

• If yes, the helper must be exported from the new file, and the original file imports it
• This means the new file will have 2+ exports (which is fine for any filename-match-export lint rule)

c) Will the new file have exactly one exported function?

• If your project enforces a filename-match-export lint rule, the file MUST be named after that export: myFunction.ts
• If the file has 2+ function exports, the name is flexible

d) Does a test file with a matching name exist?

• If bar.ts stays and bar.test.ts exists, the test must still import something from ./bar (if your project enforces a test-imports-source rule)
• If bar.ts is deleted (everything moved out), that rule typically only applies when the matching source file exists

e) Any circular dependency risk?

• Draw the import graph: new file -> original file -> new file is circular
• Fix: move the shared dependency to the new file or a third file

f) Does it export a constant?

• If your project enforces a constants-file-organization lint rule, exported constants must live in a file named constants.ts
• If the extracted function depends on a constant that other functions in the original file also use, do NOT export the constant from the new file. Instead, call the function (e.g., replace BUDGET[effort] with getBudget(effort)) to avoid needing a separate constants.ts

Execute the Extraction

Create the new file in the same directory:

// myFunction.ts (new file)
import { SomeType } from '../types';

Update the original file to import from the new file:

Update test files to import from the new file:

Watch for Chained Violations

After extracting, run npm run knip again. If function A was extracted to a new file alongside function B that A calls, but B is also only consumed by tests externally, knip will flag B too. You need to extract B to its own file so that A's file creates a genuine production import of B.

Example: suppose throwMappedError was first extracted alongside mapResponseFailure into error-mappers.ts. If throwMappedError is only called internally within that file (by mapResponseFailure), it will still be flagged. Fix: extract it to throwMappedError.ts, making the import from error-mappers.ts a genuine production consumer.

Fix: Dead Barrel Re-Exports (Remove from index.ts)

When a barrel index.ts re-exports something, but no production code imports it through the barrel. This happens when:

• Production code within the same package uses relative imports (e.g., import { x } from './source') instead of the barrel
• Production code in other packages imports directly from a subpath (e.g., @scope/pkg/feature/handlers) instead of the barrel
• The re-export was added speculatively but never consumed

How to Identify

Grep excluding test files. If the only hits are:

• The barrel index.ts itself
• Source files using relative imports within the same package
• Test files

Then the barrel re-export is unused. Simply remove it from index.ts.

Cross-Package Test Imports

If a test in another package imports the symbol through the barrel (e.g., import { x } from '@scope/pkg/feature'), you need to provide an alternative import path after removing the barrel re-export:

1. Add a subpath export in the source package's package.json:

   {
     "exports": {
       "./feature": "./src/feature/index.ts",
       "./feature/doSomething": "./src/feature/doSomething.ts"
     }
   }

2. Update the test to import from the new subpath:

   import { doSomething } from '@scope/pkg/feature/doSomething';

This pattern follows typical subpath-export conventions used in monorepos.

Fix: Internally-Only-Used Exports (Un-export)

When an export is only used within the same file and not imported by anything else (not even tests), just remove the export keyword:

// Before
export const MySchema = z.object({ ... });
 
// After
const MySchema = z.object({ ... });

This is common for Zod schemas that are only used as building blocks for other schemas in the same file.

Verify

Run ALL of these checks on the affected packages:

# Knip passes (the whole point)
npm run knip
 
# Types still compile
npm run typecheck
 
# Tests still pass
npm run test
 
# Lint passes (catches filename-match-export, test-imports-source, constants-file-organization, etc.)
npm run lint

If cross-package imports exist, also verify the consuming package.

Interacting Lint Rules

Many TypeScript monorepos layer additional custom lint rules on top of knip. Adapt the fixes below to whichever of these your project uses.

filename-match-export (or similar)

If a file has exactly ONE exported function (not a React component), the filename must match the function name.

• export function loadConfig in loadConfig.ts -- passes
• export function loadConfig in helpers.ts -- fails
• Two exports in helpers.ts -- rule does not apply (multiple exports)

test-imports-source (or similar)

If foo.test.ts and foo.ts both exist, the test must import from ./foo.

• Imports like import { x } from './foo' satisfy the rule
• Typically also accepts importing from '.' or './index' if index.ts re-exports from foo.ts
• If foo.ts is deleted, the rule does not apply

constants-file-organization (or similar)

Exported constants must be defined in a file named constants.ts.

• If you extract a function that depends on a shared constant, do NOT export the constant from the function's file
• Instead, replace direct constant access with function calls (e.g., BUDGET[effort] becomes getBudget(effort))
• Or move the constant to a constants.ts file

How Knip Traces Exports

• Knip ignores test files (**/*.test.*, **/*.spec.*)
• ignoreIssues in knip.json suppresses warnings ON the listed file, but does NOT make the source export "used"
• Barrel re-exports (export { x } from './source') from an index.ts with ignoreIssues do NOT count as usage of the source export
• Only genuine imports from non-test, non-ignored project files count as usage
• includeEntryExports: true (if set) means exports from entry point files are checked too, so entry-point-style files (migrations, scripts) may need explicit ignoreIssues

Package Subpath Exports

When removing barrel re-exports that cross-package tests relied on, add subpath exports to package.json:

{
  "exports": {
    "./feature": "./src/feature/index.ts",
    "./feature/doSomething": "./src/feature/doSomething.ts"
  }
}

What Not to Do

• Do not add files to ignoreIssues in knip.json unless they are genuine entry point scripts (migrations, CLIs)
• Do not merge all functions into one file to reduce exports -- same-file usage of an export does not count as usage from knip's perspective
• Do not remove the export keyword if tests need it -- the tests would break
• Do not create circular imports between the new and original files
• Do not export constants from non-constants.ts files if your project enforces a constants-file-organization lint rule