Auto-Naming

Auto-naming allows you to omit explicit procedure names, using export names instead.

Overview

With auto-naming, the export name becomes the procedure name:

// Auto-named as "createUser"
export const createUser: Procedure = {
  contract: {
    // No name field needed
    input: z.object({ ... }),
    output: z.object({ ... }),
  },
  handler: async (input) => { ... }
};

Benefits

1. IDE Refactoring Support

Auto-naming enables full IDE refactoring. Press F2 to rename:

// Before
export const createUser: Procedure = { ... };

// After F2 rename to "addUser"
export const addUser: Procedure = { ... };

The procedure name automatically updates everywhere!

2. Less Boilerplate

No need to specify names twice:

// With explicit naming
export const createUser: Procedure = {
  contract: {
    name: "createUser",  // Duplicate!
    ...
  },
  ...
};

// With auto-naming
export const createUser: Procedure = {
  contract: {
    // No duplication
    ...
  },
  ...
};

3. Single Source of Truth

The export name is the single source of truth for the procedure name.

When to Use Auto-Naming

Good for:

• Internal procedures
• Rapid development
• Projects with frequent refactoring
• Teams using TypeScript exclusively

Not ideal for:

• Public APIs with versioning
• Procedures called from external systems
• When you need namespacing (use users.create instead)

Explicit Naming

For public APIs, use explicit names:

export const create: Procedure = {
  contract: {
    name: "users.create",  // Explicit, stable name
    ...
  },
  ...
};

Best Practices

1. Be consistent - Choose one style per module
2. Document your choice - Make it clear to your team
3. Use explicit names for public APIs - More stable
4. Use auto-naming for internal procedures - More flexible

Next Steps

• Learn about Procedures
• Explore Type Safety
• View Examples