Rust - Generic Types

Generics are a facility to write code for multiple contexts with different types. In Rust, generics refer to the parameterization of data types and traits. Generics allows to write more concise and clean code by reducing code duplication and providing type-safety. The concept of Generics can be applied to methods, functions, structures, enumerations, collections and traits.

The <T> syntax known as the type parameter, is used to declare a generic construct. T represents any data-type.

Illustration: Generic Collection

The following example declares a vector that can store only integers.

fn main(){
   let mut vector_integer: Vec<i32> = vec![20,30];
   vector_integer.push(40);
   println!("{:?}",vector_integer);
}

Output

[20, 30, 40]

Consider the following snippet −

fn main() {
   let mut vector_integer: Vec<i32> = vec![20,30];
   vector_integer.push(40);
   vector_integer.push("hello"); 
   //error[E0308]: mismatched types
   println!("{:?}",vector_integer);
}

The above example shows that a vector of integer type can only store integer values. So, if we try to push a string value into the collection, the compiler will return an error. Generics make collections more type safe.

Illustration: Generic Structure

The type parameter represents a type, which the compiler will fill in later.

struct Data<T> {
   value:T,
}
fn main() {
   //generic type of i32
   let t:Data<i32> = Data{value:350};
   println!("value is :{} ",t.value);
   //generic type of String
   let t2:Data<String> = Data{value:"Tom".to_string()};
   println!("value is :{} ",t2.value);
}

The above example declares a generic structure named Data. The <T> type indicates some data type. The main() function creates two instances − an integer instance and a string instance, of the structure.

Output

value is :350
value is :Tom

Traits

Traits can be used to implement a standard set of behaviors (methods) across multiple structures. Traits are like interfaces in Object-oriented Programming. The syntax of trait is as shown below −

Declare a Trait

trait some_trait {
   //abstract or method which is empty
   fn method1(&self);
   // this is already implemented , this is free
   fn method2(&self){
      //some contents of method2
   }
}

Traits can contain concrete methods (methods with body) or abstract methods (methods without a body). Use a concrete method if the method definition will be shared by all structures implementing the Trait. However, a structure can choose to override a function defined by the trait.

Use abstract methods if the method definition varies for the implementing structures.

Syntax - Implement a Trait

impl some_trait for structure_name {
   // implement method1() there..
   fn method1(&self ){
   }
}

The following examples defines a trait Printable with a method print(), which is implemented by the structure book.

fn main(){
   //create an instance of the structure
   let b1 = Book {
      id:1001,
      name:"Rust in Action"
   };
   b1.print();
}
//declare a structure
struct Book {
   name:&'static str,
   id:u32
}
//declare a trait
trait Printable {
   fn print(&self);
}
//implement the trait
impl Printable for Book {
   fn print(&self){
      println!("Printing book with id:{} and name {}",self.id,self.name)
   }
}

Output

Printing book with id:1001 and name Rust in Action

Generic Functions

The example defines a generic function that displays a parameter passed to it. The parameter can be of any type. The parameter’s type should implement the Display trait so that its value can be printed by the println! macro.

use std::fmt::Display;

fn main(){
   print_pro(10 as u8);
   print_pro(20 as u16);
   print_pro("Hello TutorialsPoint");
}

fn print_pro<T:Display>(t:T){
   println!("Inside print_pro generic function:");
   println!("{}",t);
}

Output

Inside print_pro generic function:
10
Inside print_pro generic function:
20
Inside print_pro generic function:
Hello TutorialsPoint
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