fix: type empty arrays as unknown[] instead of []

[alaminfirdows]

Closes #277

Requires: laravel/surveyor#60

Problem

Model 'array' casts are converted to Record<string, unknown> in generated TypeScript types, even when they represent plain arrays.

Example:

class Event extends Model
{
    protected $casts = [
        'languages' => 'array',
    ];
}

Current output:

languages: Record<string, unknown>

Expected output:

languages: unknown[]

Root Cause

In laravel/surveyor's ModelAnalyzer.php, the resolveCast() method maps all these casts to the same type:

'json', 'encrypted:json', 'encrypted:array', 'encrypted:collection', 'array', 'encrypted:object' 
    => Type::arrayShape(Type::mixed(), Type::mixed()),

This produces Record<string, unknown> for all of them, but 'array', 'encrypted:array', and 'encrypted:collection' represent PHP arrays/lists, not objects.

Fix

1. surveyor (upstream required)

Separate 'array' cast from 'json'/'object' casts:

'json', 'encrypted:json', 'encrypted:object' => Type::arrayShape(Type::mixed(), Type::mixed()),
'array', 'encrypted:array', 'encrypted:collection' => Type::array([]),

Note: This change is in vendor/laravel/surveyor and needs to be made upstream in the surveyor package.

2. wayfinder

Fix empty array type conversion in TypeScriptConverter::convertArrayResult():

if (array_is_list($value)) {
    if (empty($value)) {
        return 'unknown[]'.$nullSuffix;
    }
    // ... rest of logic
}

Before: Type::array([]) → [] (invalid TypeScript)
After: Type::array([]) → unknown[] (valid)

Tests

Added tests/Unit/Registry/TypeScriptConverterTest.php with 6 tests:

• test_array_shape_with_unknown_key_produces_record_type
• test_array_shape_with_number_key_produces_array_type
• test_array_shape_with_string_key_produces_record_type
• test_array_type_produces_array_type
• test_json_cast_produces_record_type
• test_array_cast_produces_array_type

All unit tests pass.

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[joetannenbaum]

Thank you!