typescript version 7 complains about unused generic type even though version 6 does not
Author: sudo-barunCreated Sep 17, 2026Updated Sep 17, 2026
LabelsWorking as Intended
Search Terms
"TS6196", "is declared but never used", "unused generic", "noUnusedParameters"
Version & Regression Information
- This changed between versions 6.0.3 and 7.0.2
⏯ Playground Link
Code
type Ref<T> = {
value: T,
}
function createRef<T,U extends void>(value: void): Ref<T>;
function createRef<T>(value: T): Ref<T>;
function createRef<T>(value: T): Ref<T> {
return {
value,
};
}
const ref1 = createRef();
console.log(ref1);
const ref2 = createRef<number, void>();
console.log(ref2);
const ref3 = createRef<number>(13);
console.log(ref3);
Actual behavior
The typescript compiler version 7 fails with following error message:
code.ts:5:22 - error TS6196: 'U' is declared but never used.
5 function createRef<T,U extends void>(value: void): Ref<T>;
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Found 1 error in code.ts:5
The typescript compiler version 6 succeeds without any errors.
Expected behavior
The typescript compiler version 7 should behave exactly like version 6 i.e. not fail.
Additional information about the issue
This error only occurs with noUnusedParameters set to true.
Source: microsoft/TypeScript