Discuss 'Isolated Modules' and its role in Transpiler Compatibility.
Updated May 4, 2026
Short answer
The 'isolatedModules' flag ensures that every file can be safely transpiled by tools like Babel or esbuild that don't perform type-checking.
Deep explanation
Babel and esbuild operate on one file at a time; they don't know the full type graph. Certain TS features (like const enums or re-exporting types) require cross-file knowledge. Enabling 'isolatedModules' forces the TS compiler to error if you use these features in a way that would break single-file transpilation, ensuring your project remains compatible with high-performance build tools.
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