TypeSpec supports all reserved keywords as model property keys.

[imteammy]

Clear and concise description of the problem

model Test {
  // import:string;
  // model:string;
  // scalar:string;
  // enum:string;
  // union:string;
  // interface:string;
  // op:string;
  // namespace:string;
  // using:string;
  // is:string;
  // extends:string;
  // alias:string;
  // const:string;
  // etc...
}

current solution: provides an escaping mechanism using backticks (`) or bouble quote (").

model Test {
  "import" :string;
  "model" :string;
  "scalar" :string;
  "enum" :string;
  "union" :string;
  "interface" :string;
  "op" :string;
  "namespace" :string;
  "using" :string;
  "is" :string;
  "extends" :string;
  "alias" :string;
  "const" :string;
  // etc...
}

Checklist

• Follow our Code of Conduct
• Read the docs.
• Check that there isn't already an issue that request the same feature to avoid creating a duplicate.

[github-actions]

🎯 Issue Triage

This issue highlights that TypeSpec reserved keywords (import, model, enum, op, namespace, etc.) cannot be used directly as model property names, but can be used when escaped with backticks or double quotes. It appears to be a feature request to either improve documentation of this escaping mechanism or allow reserved keywords as identifiers without requiring escaping.

Category: Feature Request

Area: compiler:core

🔁 Possible duplicate of #869 — #869 requested allowing reserved keywords as operation names and was resolved by adding the backtick/quoted identifier escaping mechanism (closed); this issue requests similar or extended support specifically for model property keys.

🔍 Analysis

• TypeSpec already supports using reserved keywords as property names via quoted identifiers ("import", "model", etc.) or backtick-escaped identifiers.
• The escaping feature was introduced as a resolution to Allow syntax to allow reserved keywords as operation names #869, which focused on operation names.
• This request may be asking for one of:
  1. Better documentation of the quoted/backtick identifier syntax for property names
  2. Language improvement to allow reserved keywords as identifiers without escaping (similar to how some languages handle contextual keywords)
• The issue body is ambiguous — it's written in bug-report form but describes existing behavior with a workaround, making it unclear what specific change is being requested.

📝 Suggested next steps

• Clarify the exact request: Is this asking for improved documentation of the escaping mechanism, or a language change to allow unescaped reserved keywords as property names?
• If documentation: Update the TypeSpec language reference docs to prominently document quoted/backtick identifier syntax.
• If language change: Evaluate feasibility of treating certain keywords as contextual (only reserved in their syntactic positions, not as identifiers).

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