external-type-on-model-property

Id

@azure-tools/typespec-client-generator-core/external-type-on-model-property

Severity: warning

This diagnostic is issued when @alternateType with external type information is applied directly to a model property.

Impact

• Area: External alternate-type mapping. Generation continues, but property-level external type information is not applied to SDK type substitution.
• Not affected: The model property remains in the service schema with its original TypeSpec type.

❌ Incorrect Usage

model Widget {
  @alternateType( // external alternate type is applied to a model property
    {
      identity: "external.WidgetName",
    },
    "python"
  )
  name: string;
}

Diagnostic Message

TCGC reports:

@alternateType with external type information cannot be applied to model properties. Please apply it to the type definition itself (Scalar, Model, Enum, or Union) instead.

✅ How to Fix

Apply the external alternate type to the scalar, model, enum, or union definition instead of to a model property:

@alternateType(
  {
    identity: "external.WidgetName",
  },
  "python"
)
scalar WidgetName extends string;

model Widget {
  name: WidgetName;
}

Suppression

This diagnostic should not be suppressed. Fix the external type usage so it is applied correctly.