Conditional & Mapped Types in React
Build component prop types that change shape based on other prop values using conditional types.
Conditional & Mapped Types in React is a free React Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the React Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Conditional Types Basics
A conditional type uses T extends U ? X : Y syntax — if T is assignable to U, the type resolves to X, otherwise Y.
type IsString<T> = T extends string ? true : false;
type A = IsString<string>; // true
type B = IsString<number>; // false
type C = IsString<'hello'>; // trueConditional Props Based on Other Props
Use conditional types to make a prop required or optional based on another prop's value.
type InputProps<T extends 'text' | 'number'> = {
type: T;
} & (T extends 'number' ? { min?: number; max?: number } : { maxLength?: number });
const numInput: InputProps<'number'> = { type: 'number', min: 0, max: 100 };
const txtInput: InputProps<'text'> = { type: 'text', maxLength: 50 };Mapped Types
Mapped types create a new type by transforming each property of an existing type. The in keyof syntax iterates over all keys.
type Optional<T> = { [K in keyof T]?: T[K] };
type Readonly<T> = { readonly [K in keyof T]: T[K] };
type Nullable<T> = { [K in keyof T]: T[K] | null };Making Props Optional for Update Forms
Use Partial<T> (a built-in mapped type) for update form props where not all fields are required.
interface User { id: string; name: string; email: string; role: string; }
// Update form — all fields optional:
type UserUpdateProps = Partial<Omit<User, 'id'>>;
function UserUpdateForm(props: UserUpdateProps) {
// name, email, role are all optional
}Record with Mapped Types
Create lookup types where keys come from a union and values are a consistent shape.
type Status = 'idle' | 'loading' | 'success' | 'error';
type StatusConfig = Record<Status, {
label: string;
icon: React.ReactNode;
color: string;
}>;
const statusConfig: StatusConfig = {
idle: { label: 'Ready', icon: <ReadyIcon />, color: 'gray' },
loading: { label: 'Loading...', icon: <Spinner />, color: 'blue' },
success: { label: 'Done', icon: <CheckIcon />, color: 'green' },
error: { label: 'Error', icon: <XIcon />, color: 'red' },
};Picking Required Keys
Use conditional types with -? (remove optional) to extract only the required keys of a type.
type RequiredKeys<T> = {
[K in keyof T]-?: undefined extends T[K] ? never : K;
}[keyof T];
interface FormData { name: string; email: string; phone?: string; }
type Required = RequiredKeys<FormData>; // 'name' | 'email'Template Literal Types
Template literal types compose string literal types, enabling typed event names, CSS class strings, and API paths.
type EventName = 'click' | 'change' | 'focus';
type HandlerName = `on${Capitalize<EventName>}`;
// 'onClick' | 'onChange' | 'onFocus'
type ApiPath<R extends string> = `/api/${R}`;
type UserPath = ApiPath<'users'>; // '/api/users'Extracting Props Conditionally
Use Extract and Exclude to filter union types.
type AllProps = 'onClick' | 'onHover' | 'onChange' | 'style';
type EventHandlers = Extract<AllProps, `on${string}`>;
// 'onClick' | 'onHover' | 'onChange'
type NonEventProps = Exclude<AllProps, `on${string}`>;
// 'style'Mapped Types for Form Validation
Generate validation error types that mirror your form data shape — one error message string per field.
interface LoginForm { email: string; password: string; }
type FormErrors<T> = { [K in keyof T]?: string };
type LoginErrors = FormErrors<LoginForm>;
// { email?: string; password?: string }
const errors: LoginErrors = { email: 'Invalid email format' };Discriminated Mapped Types
Combine mapped types with conditional types to create types that change shape based on a discriminant.
type EventMap = {
click: { x: number; y: number };
keydown: { key: string; code: string };
resize: { width: number; height: number };
};
type Handler<E extends keyof EventMap> = (event: EventMap[E]) => void;
function on<E extends keyof EventMap>(event: E, handler: Handler<E>) {
window.addEventListener(event, handler as EventListener);
}When Not to Over-Engineer Types
Conditional and mapped types add power but also complexity. Use them when they eliminate real duplication or prevent actual bugs — not just to demonstrate TypeScript knowledge.
Quick Check
What does the mapped type { [K in keyof T]?: T[K] } do?
Recap
Conditional types (T extends U ? X : Y) create types that branch based on assignability. Mapped types ([K in keyof T]) transform each property of a type. Use them for update-form partial types, typed event maps, form error shapes, and template literal API paths.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Conditional & Mapped Types in React” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Conditional & Mapped Types in React” is free to read here on the web, and the React Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the React Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Conditional & Mapped Types in React”?
Build component prop types that change shape based on other prop values using conditional types. You practise React Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start React Academy?
No prior experience is required. React Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Conditional & Mapped Types in React” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this React Academy lesson?
Yes. Every React Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Discriminated Unions for Component Variants
- Conditional & Mapped Types in React
- Polymorphic Components with 'as' Prop
- Type-Safe Forms & API Response Contracts