fsharp / fsharp/fslang-suggestions

Allow Type Augmentation Extension on composite types

Open
#858 12 comments 3 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
approved-in-principle area: extension-methods
Dominant language
No language data
Stars
373
Forks
21
PR merge metrics
No merged PRs in 30d

Description

I propose we allow adding intrinsic/optional extensions on type augmentation or composite data types. This makes it a bit more natural to extend composite types analogous to using intrinsic/optional extension on single data type.

Will stress that this is coming purely to make writing type extensions more natural and doesn't care much about interoperability with C#. Type aliases would also simply expand to the underlying type and create extension methods.

```fsharp
type int list with
member this.Print() =
printfn "%A" this
```

The existing way of approaching this problem in F# is using Extension methods:

```fsharp
[]
type IntExtensions =
[]
static member Print(_this: int list) =
printfn "%A" _this
```

## Pros and Cons

The advantages of making this adjustment to F# are able
* Consistency with existing F# way to declare intrinsic or optional type extensions.
* Trait like syntax.

The disadvantages of making this adjustment to F# are
* Multiple ways to achieve the same thing
* Brings question on if all extensions essentially compile to C# extension methods?

## Extra information

Estimated cost (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL): M-XL

Related suggestions: (put links to related suggestions here)

## Affidavit (please submit!)

Please tick this by placing a cross in the box:
* [x] This is not a question (e.g. like one you might ask on [stackoverflow](http://stackoverflow.com)) and I have searched stackoverflow for discussions of this issue
* [x] I have [searched both open and closed suggestions on this site](http://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues) and believe this is not a duplicate
* [x] This is not something which has obviously "already been decided" in previous versions of F#. If you're questioning a fundamental design decision that has obviously already been taken (e.g. "Make F# untyped") then please don't submit it.

Please tick all that apply:
* [x] This is not a breaking change to the F# language design
* [ ] I or my company would be willing to help implement and/or test this

## For Readers

If you would like to see this issue implemented, please click the :+1: emoji on this issue. These counts are used to generally order the suggestions by engagement.

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

Research direction

The payload names no implementation files or tests; start by reading the proposed composite-type syntax and the existing intrinsic/optional-extension and Extension-method examples. Done would mean an agreed F# language design and an implementation plan for the requested behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
fsharp
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.