• I have tried restarting my IDE and the issue persists.
• I have updated to the latest version of the packages.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem is not listed.

Repro

{
  "rules": {
    "@typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars": "error"
  }
}

const foo = "bar"

export type Baz = typeof foo

Run it locally via https://github.com/happycollision/eslint-no-unused-vars-typescript-repro

Expected Result
An eslint error that foo is unused. (Just like it would if we removed the type def line.)

Actual Result
No eslint error reported.

Additional Info
If you agree with my thoughts below, then this is a bug. If you disagree, then I guess it is a feature request that'd need some options to opt into it.

I am of the opinion that if you create a runtime variable, you ought to be expected to use that variable within your runtime code. Using a runtime variable for purely type definition purposes means that when your code is compiled (depending on your compiler of choice and options), you'll have an extra variable handing around that does nothing. In all likelihood, this is an error and you meant to use the variable but forgot to add it to whatever other part of your code needed it. This is exactly why I realized that this bug exists. 😄

I cannot think of a single case where you'd want such behavior, but I am totally willing to believe they might exist.

Versions