#macro #type-level #newtypes #experimental #logic

new_type

Experimental implementation of newtypes by type level logic

5 releases (3 breaking)

0.4.1 Jan 16, 2023
0.4.0 Aug 20, 2021
0.3.0 Nov 8, 2020
0.2.0 Oct 31, 2020
0.1.0 Oct 16, 2020

#1643 in Rust patterns

MIT license

18KB
265 lines

new_type

Easily construct newtypes in Rust. :)

Usage might be dangerous. :(

Head over to the docs at: https://docs.rs/new_type


lib.rs:

Welcome, fellow programmer! 👋🏼

The newtype macro is very simple:

newtype!(Meters, Centimeters);

let distance_one = Meters(10);
let distance_two = Meters(5);
let distance_three = Centimeters(5);

// Successfully add the same type.
assert_eq!(distance_one + distance_two, Meters(15))

// Compilation error: expected struct `Meters`, found struct `Centimeters`
// assert_eq!(distance_one + distance_three, Meters(15))

Under the hood ⚙️

The newtype is implemented with a generic type parameter. Via this type parameter it does kind of a "type level derive" i.e. it implements operations by deferring to the implementation of the underlying type. That works across any level of nested newtypes, if that should be of any use. For details read on in [newtype].

Footgun Warning ⚠️

It is highly recommended to explicitly pass the expexted types into the tuple constructor as by default any type goes due to the generic type parameter. This is definetly a footgun but as the generic type parameter is core to how this crate operates not obviously avoidable. Open a PR is you have ideas.

// We specify a default type.
// The default type is only relevant for calls to T::default() and only if there is no reason for the compiler to infer another type.
newtype!(Meters: f32);

// Footgun right here, we pass an integer, so it will be an i32.
let distance_one = Meters(10);

// Footgun possible here, we pass a float, so it would be a f64 by default.
// Because we add it with an explicit f32 type the compiler can infer it needs to be an f32 as well.
let distance_two = Meters(5.0);

// The recommended way to construct values of the newtype.
let distance_three = Meters(5.0_f32);

assert_eq!(distance_two + distance_three, Meters(10.0));

// Compilation error: expected integer, found floating-point number
// assert_eq!(distance_one + distance_two, Meters(15))

// Footgun here, f64 is infered for the call to T::default() despite f32 being the default type parameter.
assert_eq!(Meters::default(), Meters(0.0_f64));

No runtime deps