Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts

[carlosfaria94]

- [x] bug report
- [ ] feature request

Versions.

@angular/cli: 1.0.0
node: 6.10.0
os: darwin x64
@angular/common: 4.0.0
@angular/compiler: 4.0.0
@angular/core: 4.0.0
@angular/forms: 4.0.0
@angular/http: 4.0.0
@angular/material: 2.0.0-beta.2
@angular/platform-browser: 4.0.0
@angular/platform-browser-dynamic: 4.0.0
@angular/router: 4.0.0
@angular/cli: 1.0.0
@angular/compiler-cli: 4.0.0

Repro steps.

After migrating to 1.0 and doing ng serve I obtain the error: Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

The log given by the failure.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/errors.d.ts (9,33): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/errors.d.ts (10,43): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/errors.d.ts (11,42): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/errors.d.ts (12,43): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/errors.d.ts (13,35): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/animation/dsl.d.ts (34,33): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/core/src/animation/animation_metadata_wrapped.d.ts (12,33): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/http/src/backends/browser_jsonp.d.ts (1,33): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/router/src/shared.d.ts (15,37): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/common/src/platform_id.d.ts (8,42): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/common/src/platform_id.d.ts (9,41): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/common/src/platform_id.d.ts (10,45): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/common/src/platform_id.d.ts (11,44): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/platform-browser/src/dom/dom_renderer.d.ts (14,41): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/forms/src/model.d.ts (6,28): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/forms/src/model.d.ts (10,30): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/forms/src/model.d.ts (15,30): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.
/*/node_modules/@angular/forms/src/model.d.ts (20,31): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in /*/node_modules/@angular/compiler/src/util.d.ts (8,36): Initializers are not allowed in ambient contexts.

ERROR in AppModule is not an NgModule

[aluanhaddad]

Your TypeScript version is out of date. This is not a bug. Install the latest and if you get other errors, downgrade by point release until you get a working build.

[aluanhaddad]

It's a good idea to just destroy your node_modules folder and just do a clean install.

[carlosfaria94]

@aluanhaddad thanks for the feedback. I had already updated to the recent version of typescript 2.2.1, but I think I forgot to do a clean install.

btw. I think it is good ideia in the update guide (https://github.com/angular/angular-cli/wiki/stories-1.0-update) suggest the typescript version ~2.2.1

Problem solved. Thanks.

[aluanhaddad]

They should but, from what I have read on the Angular blog, certain Angular features didn't work correctly correctly with TypeScript >= 2.0.*. I have not encountered any issues, and I have been running against the latest TypeScript available, updating all major dependencies, including Angular and TypeScript within 2 days of a release on a production app using a continuous delivery model, with no issues.

Perhaps it works for that scenario because that app does not use AOT.
AOT is a break from all standards. It deviates from the TypeScript specification, via ngc, in such a way that it violates the ECMAScript spec, meaning you are no longer writing standard or future standard compliant programs, you are writing Angular specific programs where syntax (decorators) has been redefined by ngc/AOT to mean something they never will in JS or TS.

AOT is a trap.

[carlosfaria94]

Thanks for the insight @aluanhaddad .

[AbdelMonnem]

still have the same problem. i have TS 2.2.2.

[aluanhaddad]

@AbdelMonnem can you post the line that's raising the error?
The error experienced by the OP was likely caused by something like:
some-dependency.d.ts

export declare const value = 5;

This is illegal in TypeScript 2.0 but became legal in TypeScript 2.1 with the introduction of literal type inference for const declarations.

[hbsts]

I had the same error and fixed it by typing:
npm install --save typescript@latest
package.json now has the latest ts version and ts compiler is 2.2.2.

By the way: I used angular-cli to install a new angular based project. The version in package.json was something like 2.0.3.

[aluanhaddad]

That is why I don't think people should rely on scaffolders. They are handy but it is a must to know how to do things from first principles like @hbsts did.

[AneelaBrister]

I get an 'unmet peer dependency' for @angular/common@2.4.10, @angular/core@2.4.10, and @angular/http@2.4.10 when I try to install typescript@latest....
However, when I look at package.json, all three of those are at ^2.4.10.
Any ideas?

PS: I saw the same initializers error as the OP in the exact same situation.

[filipesilva]

Closing as this doesn't seem to be an Angular CLI bug, but rather expected behaviour based on TypeScript versions.

@AneelaBrister Angular version 2 does not support the latest TS versions, you must stay in 2.1.x.