Use global Iterator.prototype for down-level generators

[Ron Buckton (rbuckton)]

If you are compiling generators with --target ES5 --lib esnext the types of those generators will also include the iterator helpers methods like map, filter, etc., though our down-level generator emit will not have those methods even when running with newer editions of V8 that do support them:

// @target: es5// @lib: esnextconstar=[1,2,3,4];ar.values().map(i=>i*2);// [2, 4, 6, 8]function*f(){yield*[1,2,3,4];}f().map(i=>i*2);// error: 'f(...).map' is not a function

Even when not running in latest V8, iterator helpers can be polyfilled, e.g.:

if(typeofIterator==="undefined"){letIterator=function(){};Iterator.prototype=Object.getPrototypeOf(Object.getPrototypeOf([].values()));Iterator.prototype.map= ...;Iterator.prototype.filter= ...;globalThis.Iterator=Iterator;}

To better support both scenarios, this makes a small change to our __generator helper to use the global Iterator.prototype object as the prototype for down-level generators, if it is present.

This also does the same for our __asyncGenerator helper when a global AsyncIterator.prototype object is present, even though async iterator helpers are still at Stage 2. Support for AsyncIterator.prototype seems harmless enough to add at this time but can be postponed to a later PR if necessary.

Please note that this will also require the same change in tslib.

Fixes#59513

[Ron Buckton (rbuckton)]

TypeScript Bot (@typescript-bot): pack this

[TypeScript Bot (typescript-bot)]

Starting jobs; this comment will be updated as builds start and complete.

Command	Status	Results
pack this	✅ Started	✅ Results

[TypeScript Bot (typescript-bot)]

Hey Ron Buckton (@rbuckton), I've packed this into an installable tgz. You can install it for testing by referencing it in your package.json like so:

{
"devDependencies": {
"typescript": "https://typescript.visualstudio.com/cf7ac146-d525-443c-b23c-0d58337efebc/_apis/build/builds/163106/artifacts?artifactName=tgz&fileId=8BF6932B3E902A06BC464B148F6BF64BA47E5AF53B48D26761BF34AF2611EE6D02&fileName=/typescript-5.6.0-insiders.20240802.tgz"
}
}

and then running npm install.

---

There is also a playground for this build and an npm module you can use via "typescript": "npm:@typescript-deploys/pr-build@5.6.0-pr-59514-2".;

[Jake Bailey (jakebailey)]

This needs a tslib update too, right?

[Jake Bailey (jakebailey)]

I assume it's not a problem if someone redefines the global Iterator, given we don't care if someone does that for other global symbols?

[Ron Buckton (rbuckton)]

Correct

[Ron Buckton (rbuckton)]

This needs a tslib update too, right?

Correct. The tslib PR is microsoft/tslib#267