Pretty TypeScript Errors
A VS Code extension that rewrites TypeScript error messages so complex types are easier to read.yoavbls/pretty-ts-errors
- Stars
- 14.1k
- Forks
- 114
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 6 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Pretty TS Errors is a VS Code extension that changes how TypeScript errors look in the editor. TypeScript's raw error messages for complicated types can be long strings of parentheses and truncated text, and this extension reformats them with syntax highlighting and links to type declarations and explanations. It is aimed at people who write TypeScript in VS Code and find those errors hard to parse.
- See readable, highlighted type names in long TypeScript errors inside the editor
- Click a button next to a type in an error to jump to its declaration
- Open a linked explanation of an error on typescript.tv or read it in plain English via ts-error-translator
Great for
- Developers working in VS Code on TypeScript projects with complex or generic types
- People who are new to TypeScript and want error messages explained more clearly
- Projects using Astro, Svelte, or Vue files where TypeScript is enabled
- Developers who want links to type declarations directly from an error
Not ideal for
- Developers who do not use VS Code, since the README describes it as a VS Code extension (a JetBrains support discussion exists but is not a shipped feature)
- People who need to copy error text directly from the formatted view, because the README says the formatted errors cannot be copied and suggests hovering to copy from the original pane
- Users who want a standalone command-line error report, since the README describes only editor integration
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Visual Studio Code
Install from the command line
code --install-extension yoavbls.pretty-ts-errors - 2
Run it
- Install the extension from the command line or search for pretty-ts-errors in the VS Code marketplace
- Open a TypeScript project in VS Code that contains a type error
- Look at the error in the editor to see the reformatted message and its buttons
- Optionally follow the docs/hide-original-errors.md guide to hide the original error and make types copyable
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the type-declaration button next to a type in an error to jump to its definition
- Use the typescript.tv button for detailed explanations, sometimes with video
- Use the ts-error-translator button to read an error in plain English
- Follow docs/hide-original-errors.md if you want to hide the raw error and copy types from the formatted view
Downloads
Strengths
- Makes long, complex type errors easier to scan with theme-aware syntax highlighting
- Adds direct links to type declarations and external explanations from the error itself
- Covers many file types, including .ts, .tsx, .js JSDoc, Astro, Svelte, Vue, and Glimmer
Trade-offs
- The README says the original error must be hidden with a workaround in a separate doc to make formatted types copyable, which is an extra setup step
- Formatted errors cannot be copied directly, because of VS Code display limits described in the README
- Relies on VS Code's rendering limits, so some presentation choices are workarounds
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pretty-ts-errors (this) | 14.1k | App | beginner | 6 days ago | Developers working in VS Code on TypeScript projects with complex or generic types |
| Vim | 15.2k | App | beginner | 6 days ago | Developers who already know Vim and want its keybindings in VS Code |
| git-history | 13.7k | App | beginner | 2.1 years ago | Developers trying to understand why a file looks the way it does |
| kilocode | 27.8k | AI model / agent | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who want an AI coding agent inside VS Code or JetBrains |
| NativeScript | 25.7k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | JavaScript or TypeScript developers who want to build native iOS or Android apps |
| deno | 109k | App | beginner | 8 days ago | Developers who want to run TypeScript without a separate build setup |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.