Rename @alias to @reexport

Author: Gerrit0

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ title: Changelog
 
 ### Features
 
+- Added a `@reexport` modifier tag to have TypeDoc convert variable/type references as a re-export instead of a new symbol.
 - Introduced `generateOutputsBegin` and `generateOutputsEnd` events on `Application` for plugin use.
 
 ## v0.28.19 (2026-04-12)

site/tags.md

@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ export type Foo = { a: string };
 ```
 
 - [`@abstract`](./tags/abstract.md)
-- [`@alias`](./tags/alias.md)
 - [`@alpha`](./tags/alpha.md)
 - [`@beta`](./tags/beta.md)
 - [`@class`](./tags/class.md)
@@ -221,6 +220,7 @@ export type Foo = { a: string };
 - [`@protected`](./tags/protected.md)
 - [`@public`](./tags/public.md)
 - [`@readonly`](./tags/readonly.md)
+- [`@reexport`](./tags/reexport.md)
 - [`@sealed`](./tags/sealed.md)
 - [`@useDeclaredType`](./tags/useDeclaredType.md)
 - [`@virtual`](./tags/virtual.md)

site/tags/alias.md

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ---
-title: "@alias"
+title: "@reexport"
 ---
 
-# @alias
+# @reexport
 
 **Tag Kind:** [Modifier](../tags.md#modifier-tags)
 
-The `@alias` tag is valid on type alias and variable declarations which directly reference another
+The `@reexport` tag is valid on type alias and variable declarations which directly reference another
 symbol. When present, it instructs TypeDoc that the variable it is present on should be treated as
 if it was a re-export of the referenced symbol rather than being converted directly.
 
@@ -27,17 +27,17 @@ being imported from another file. Similarly, the `IsInt` type alias will be trea
 import { Vector as _Vector, IsInt as _IsInt } from "./utils.js"
 
 export namespace Math {
-    /** @alias */
+    /** @reexport */
     export const Vector = _Vector;
     export type Vector = typeof _Vector;
 
-    /** @alias */
+    /** @reexport */
     export type IsInt<T extends number> = _IsInt<T>;
 
-    // The following are all invalid usage of the @alias tag and will produce a warning
-    /** @alias */
+    // The following are all invalid usage of the @reexport tag and will produce a warning
+    /** @reexport */
     export type BadAlias1 = 123;
-    /** @alias */
+    /** @reexport */
     export const BadAlias2 = { someImportedFunction };
 }
 ```

src/lib/converter/symbols.ts

@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ function convertTypeAlias(
     if (ts.isTypeAliasDeclaration(declaration)) {
         const comment = context.getComment(symbol, ReflectionKind.TypeAlias);
 
-        if (comment?.hasModifier("@alias")) {
+        if (comment?.hasModifier("@reexport")) {
             if (ts.isTypeReferenceNode(declaration.type)) {
                 // Note: Get the symbol from the typeName here, NOT the type! The type refers to this alias,
                 // not the type alias we want to convert.
@@ -362,12 +362,15 @@ function convertTypeAlias(
                     return;
                 } else {
                     context.logger.warn(
-                        i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_alias(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name),
+                        i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_reexport(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name),
                         declaration,
                     );
                 }
             } else {
-                context.logger.warn(i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_alias(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name), declaration);
+                context.logger.warn(
+                    i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_reexport(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name),
+                    declaration,
+                );
             }
         }
 
@@ -1023,7 +1026,7 @@ function convertVariable(
         ? context.checker.getTypeOfSymbolAtLocation(symbol, declaration)
         : context.checker.getTypeOfSymbol(symbol);
 
-    if (comment?.hasModifier("@alias")) {
+    if (comment?.hasModifier("@reexport")) {
         if (
             declaration && ts.isVariableDeclaration(declaration) && declaration.initializer &&
             (ts.isIdentifier(declaration.initializer) || ts.isPropertyAccessExpression(declaration.initializer))
@@ -1032,7 +1035,7 @@ function convertVariable(
             convertSymbol(context, aliasedSymbol, exportSymbol || symbol);
             return ts.SymbolFlags.Property | ts.SymbolFlags.ValueModule | ts.SymbolFlags.TypeAlias;
         } else {
-            context.logger.warn(i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_alias(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name), declaration);
+            context.logger.warn(i18n.failed_to_convert_0_as_reexport(exportSymbol?.name ?? symbol.name), declaration);
         }
     }
 

src/lib/internationalization/locales/en.cts

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export = {
         `{0} is being converted as a class, but does not have any construct signatures`,
     converting_0_as_enum_requires_value_declaration:
         `Converting {0} as an enum requires a declaration which represents a non-type value`,
-    failed_to_convert_0_as_alias: "Failed to convert {0} as an alias because it is not direct reference.",
+    failed_to_convert_0_as_reexport: "Failed to convert {0} as a re-export because it is not direct reference.",
 
     comment_for_0_should_not_contain_block_or_modifier_tags:
         `The comment for {0} should not contain any block or modifier tags`,

src/lib/utils/options/tsdoc-defaults.ts

@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ export const tsdocModifierTags = [
 export const modifierTags = [
     ...tsdocModifierTags,
     "@abstract",
-    "@alias",
     "@class",
     "@disableGroups",
     "@enum",
@@ -93,6 +92,7 @@ export const modifierTags = [
     "@overload",
     "@private",
     "@protected",
+    "@reexport",
     "@showCategories",
     "@showGroups",
     "@useDeclaredType",

src/test/behavior.c2.test.ts

@@ -1512,10 +1512,10 @@ describe("Behavior Tests", () => {
         equal(Comment.combineDisplayParts(ctor.signatures[1].typeParameters?.[0].comment?.summary), "class docs");
     });
 
-    it("Supports the @alias tag", () => {
-        const project = convert("alias");
+    it("Supports the @reexport tag", () => {
+        const project = convert("reexport");
 
-        logger.expectMessage("warn: Failed to convert BadAlias as an alias because it is not direct reference.");
+        logger.expectMessage("warn: Failed to convert BadAlias as a re-export because it is not direct reference.");
 
         equal(reflToTree(project), {
             Math: {
@@ -1530,6 +1530,6 @@ describe("Behavior Tests", () => {
         });
 
         const bad = query(project, "Math.BadAlias");
-        equal(bad.comment?.modifierTags, new Set(["@alias"]));
+        equal(bad.comment?.modifierTags, new Set(["@reexport"]));
     });
 });

src/test/converter2/behavior/alias.ts src/test/converter2/behavior/reexport.tssrc/test/converter2/behavior/alias.ts renamed to src/test/converter2/behavior/reexport.ts

@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@ function _makeVec(x: number, y: number, z: number): _Vec {
 }
 
 export namespace Math {
-    // /** Alias comment @alias */
+    /** Alias comment @reexport */
     export type IsInt<T extends number> = _IsInt<T>;
 
-    /** Alias comment @alias */
+    /** Alias comment @reexport */
     export const Vec = _Vec;
     export type Vec = typeof _Vec;
 
-    /** Alias comment @alias */
+    /** Alias comment @reexport */
     export const makeVec = _makeVec;
 
-    /** @alias */
+    /** @reexport */
     export type BadAlias = 123;
 }

tsdoc.json

@@ -80,10 +80,6 @@
             "tagName": "@abstract",
             "syntaxKind": "modifier"
         },
-        {
-            "tagName": "@alias",
-            "syntaxKind": "modifier"
-        },
         {
             "tagName": "@document",
             "syntaxKind": "block"
@@ -183,6 +179,10 @@
             "tagName": "@protected",
             "syntaxKind": "modifier"
         },
+        {
+            "tagName": "@reexport",
+            "syntaxKind": "modifier"
+        },
         {
             "tagName": "@satisfies",
             "syntaxKind": "block"