String.split in lib.d.ts should use a union, not overloads

[sandersn]

TypeScript Version: master

Code

function split(notSure: string | RegExp) {
  return foo.split(notSure);
}

Expected behavior:

No error

Actual behavior:

Error: "Argument of type 'string | RegExp' is not assignable to parameter of type 'RegExp'."

[Arnavion]

Is this the decision for overloads in general, given that there are many issues about making overloads automatically work with union types instead? #5766 #12837 #12885

[mhegazy]

duplicate of #5766

[mhegazy]

Is this the decision for overloads in general, given that there are many issues about making overloads automatically work with union types instead? #5766 #12837 #12885

The current recommendation is to keep the overload list as short as possible. #12885 tracks doing something about unifying them or flagging them as errors.