---
description: 'Disallow the `any` type.'
---
import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
> 🛑 This file is source code, not the primary documentation location! 🛑
>
> See **https://typescript-eslint.io/rules/no-explicit-any** for documentation.
The `any` type in TypeScript is a dangerous "escape hatch" from the type system.
Using `any` disables many type checking rules and is generally best used only as a last resort or when prototyping code.
This rule reports on explicit uses of the `any` keyword as a type annotation.
Preferable alternatives to `any` include:
- If the type is known, describing it in an `interface` or `type`
- If the type is not known, using the safer `unknown` type
> TypeScript's `--noImplicitAny` compiler option prevents an implied `any`, but doesn't prevent `any` from being explicitly used the way this rule does.
## Examples
```ts
const age: any = 'seventeen';
```
```ts
const ages: any[] = ['seventeen'];
```
```ts
const ages: Array = ['seventeen'];
```
```ts
function greet(): any {}
```
```ts
function greet(): any[] {}
```
```ts
function greet(): Array {}
```
```ts
function greet(): Array> {}
```
```ts
function greet(param: Array): string {}
```
```ts
function greet(param: Array): Array {}
```
```ts
const age: number = 17;
```
```ts
const ages: number[] = [17];
```
```ts
const ages: Array = [17];
```
```ts
function greet(): string {}
```
```ts
function greet(): string[] {}
```
```ts
function greet(): Array {}
```
```ts
function greet(): Array> {}
```
```ts
function greet(param: Array): string {}
```
```ts
function greet(param: Array): Array {}
```
## Options
### `fixToUnknown`
{/* insert option description */}
By default, this rule will not provide automatic ESLint _fixes_: only opt-in _suggestions_.
Switching types to `unknown` is safer but is likely to cause additional type errors.
Enabling `{ "fixToUnknown": true }` gives the rule an auto-fixer to replace `: any` with `: unknown`.
### `ignoreRestArgs`
{/* insert option description */}
The examples below are **incorrect** when `{ignoreRestArgs: false}`, but **correct** when `{ignoreRestArgs: true}`.
```ts option='{ "ignoreRestArgs": false }' showPlaygroundButton
function foo1(...args: any[]): void {}
function foo2(...args: readonly any[]): void {}
function foo3(...args: Array): void {}
function foo4(...args: ReadonlyArray): void {}
declare function bar(...args: any[]): void;
const baz = (...args: any[]) => {};
const qux = function (...args: any[]) {};
type Quux = (...args: any[]) => void;
type Quuz = new (...args: any[]) => void;
interface Grault {
(...args: any[]): void;
}
interface Corge {
new (...args: any[]): void;
}
interface Garply {
f(...args: any[]): void;
}
```
## When Not To Use It
`any` is always a dangerous escape hatch.
Whenever possible, it is always safer to avoid it.
TypeScript's `unknown` is almost always preferable to `any`.
However, there are occasional situations where it can be necessary to use `any`.
Most commonly:
- If your project isn't fully onboarded to TypeScript yet, `any` can be temporarily used in places where types aren't yet known or representable
- If an external package doesn't yet have typings and you want to use `any` pending adding a `.d.ts` for it
- You're working with particularly complex or nuanced code that can't yet be represented in the TypeScript type system
You might consider using [ESLint disable comments](https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/rules#using-configuration-comments-1) for those specific situations instead of completely disabling this rule.
## Related To
- [Avoiding `any`s with Linting and TypeScript](/blog/avoiding-anys)
- [`no-unsafe-argument`](./no-unsafe-argument.mdx)
- [`no-unsafe-assignment`](./no-unsafe-assignment.mdx)
- [`no-unsafe-call`](./no-unsafe-call.mdx)
- [`no-unsafe-member-access`](./no-unsafe-member-access.mdx)
- [`no-unsafe-return`](./no-unsafe-return.mdx)
## Further Reading
- TypeScript [`any` type](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/2/everyday-types.html#any)
- TypeScript's [`unknown` type](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/2/functions.html#unknown)
- TypeScript [`any` type documentation](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/2/everyday-types.html#any)
- TypeScript [`unknown` type release notes](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/release-notes/typescript-3-0.html#new-unknown-top-type)