fix(core): throw better errors for potential circular references

Currently circular references in user code manifest themselves with an error like `Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'ɵcmp')`. This is a bit cryptic so these changes add an assertion mentioning circular references.

Relates to angular#65917.

Author: crisbeto

goldens/public-api/core/errors.api.md

@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ export const enum RuntimeErrorCode {
     // (undocumented)
     CYCLIC_DI_DEPENDENCY = -200,
     // (undocumented)
+    DEF_TYPE_UNDEFINED = 919,
+    // (undocumented)
     DEFER_IN_HMR_MODE = -751,
     // (undocumented)
     DEFER_LOADING_FAILED = -750,

packages/core/src/errors.ts

@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ export const enum RuntimeErrorCode {
   MISSING_DIRECTIVE_DEFINITION = 916,
   NO_COMPONENT_FACTORY_FOUND = 917,
   EXTERNAL_RESOURCE_LOADING_FAILED = 918,
+  DEF_TYPE_UNDEFINED = 919,
 
   // Signal integration errors
   REQUIRED_INPUT_NO_VALUE = -950,

packages/core/src/render3/def_getters.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {NG_COMP_DEF, NG_DIR_DEF, NG_MOD_DEF, NG_PIPE_DEF} from './fields';
 import type {ComponentDef, DirectiveDef, PipeDef} from './interfaces/definition';
 
 export function getNgModuleDef<T>(type: any): NgModuleDef<T> | null {
+  assertTypeDefined(type, '@NgModule');
   return type[NG_MOD_DEF] || null;
 }
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ export function getNgModuleDefOrThrow<T>(type: any): NgModuleDef<T> | never {
  */
 
 export function getComponentDef<T>(type: any): ComponentDef<T> | null {
+  assertTypeDefined(type, '@Component');
   return type[NG_COMP_DEF] || null;
 }
 
@@ -52,13 +54,26 @@ export function getDirectiveDefOrThrow<T>(type: any): DirectiveDef<T> | never {
 }
 
 export function getDirectiveDef<T>(type: any): DirectiveDef<T> | null {
+  assertTypeDefined(type, '@Directive');
   return type[NG_DIR_DEF] || null;
 }
 
 export function getPipeDef<T>(type: any): PipeDef<T> | null {
+  assertTypeDefined(type, '@Pipe');
   return type[NG_PIPE_DEF] || null;
 }
 
+function assertTypeDefined(type: any, symbolType: string): void {
+  if (type == null) {
+    throw new RuntimeError(
+      RuntimeErrorCode.DEF_TYPE_UNDEFINED,
+      (typeof ngDevMode === 'undefined' || ngDevMode) &&
+        `Cannot read ${symbolType} metadata. This can indicate a runtime ` +
+          `circular dependency in your app that needs to be resolved.`,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Checks whether a given Component, Directive or Pipe is marked as standalone.
  * This will return false if passed anything other than a Component, Directive, or Pipe class

packages/core/test/bundling/animations-standalone/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@
       "areAnimationSupported",
       "arrRemove",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "balancePreviousStylesIntoKeyframes",
       "balanceProperties",
@@ -858,4 +859,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/create_component/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@
       "areAnimationSupported",
       "arrRemove",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "baseElement",
       "bind",
@@ -689,4 +690,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/defer/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@
       "areAnimationSupported",
       "arrRemove",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "bind",
       "bindingUpdated",
@@ -744,4 +745,4 @@
       "writeToDirectiveInput"
     ]
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/forms_reactive/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@
       "assertControlPresent",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
       "assertPlatform",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "baseElement",
       "bind",
@@ -1018,4 +1019,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/forms_template_driven/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@
       "assertControlPresent",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
       "assertPlatform",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "baseElement",
       "bind",
@@ -1018,4 +1019,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/hydration/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@
       "areAnimationSupported",
       "arrRemove",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "baseElement",
       "bind",
@@ -797,4 +798,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}

packages/core/test/bundling/router/bundle.golden_symbols.json

@@ -414,6 +414,7 @@
       "arrRemove",
       "arrayEquals",
       "assertNotDestroyed",
+      "assertTypeDefined",
       "attachPatchData",
       "baseElement",
       "bind",
@@ -1147,4 +1148,4 @@
     ],
     "lazy": []
   }
-}
+}