tsconfig paths resolution broken when using references: 'auto

[arkadiusz-swierczek-pm]

Description

Path alias resolution via tsconfig.json paths stopped working when upgrading from 1.11.0 to 1.12.2. The resolver returns no path for aliased specifiers (e.g. $/utils/helper) when references: 'auto' is set and the main tsconfig.json has a references array pointing to another tsconfig.

Relative imports (./utils/helper) still resolve correctly in both versions.

Reproduction

Minimal reproduction repo: https://github.com/arkadiusz-swierczek-pm/unrs-resolver-error

npm ci
node main.js

Setup

tsconfig.json — defines a $/* path alias and references tsconfig.node.json:

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "ESNext",
    "moduleResolution": "Bundler",
    "paths": { "$/*": ["./src/*"] }
  },
  "include": ["src"],
  "references": [{ "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" }]
}

Resolver options:

const resolverOpts = {
  tsconfig: {
    configFile: 'tsconfig.json',
    references: 'auto',
  },
  extensions: ['.ts', '.tsx', '.js', '.jsx'],
};

Expected behavior

"$/utils/helper" → /path/to/test/src/utils/helper.ts

Actual behavior

Specifier	v1.11.0	v1.12.2
$/utils/helper	Resolves correctly	no path
./utils/helper	Resolves correctly	Resolves correctly

Versions

• Working: unrs-resolver@1.11.0
• Broken: unrs-resolver@1.12.2
• Platform: Windows 11, Node.js