Unable to Chain .min() and Other Validation Methods After .refine() on z.string()

[RalkeyOfficial]

Zod version: 3.23.8

When writing the following Zod schema:

z.string()
  .refine((val) => val === "John", {
    message: "String must be equal to 'John'",
  })
  .min(1)

I expected this validation code to be valid and check whether the string has a minimum length of 1. However, instead of that, I get an error stating that .min() is not a function. This error suggests that chaining .min() or other validation methods after .refine() is not supported.

Expected Behavior:

I expect to still be able to use .min() and other validation methods (such as .max(), etc.) after using .refine(). This would allow me to build more complex validation rules without running into method chaining issues.

Current Behavior:

Currently, attempting to chain .min() (or similar validation methods) after .refine() on z.string() results in an error: TypeError: .min is not a function. This behavior limits the flexibility of combining custom validation logic with built-in methods.

Use Case:

In my codebase, I rely on the ability to combine custom validation logic using .refine() with built-in methods such as .min(). Being able to chain these methods makes the code more concise and maintainable.

Proposed Solution:

It would be helpful if .min(), .max(), and similar validation methods were still accessible after using .refine(), or if there were an alternative approach to achieve the same result.

Request for Feedback:

I would appreciate feedback on whether this behavior is intentional, and if so, whether there are recommended workarounds or plans to support this kind of chaining in the future.