microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript
Allow classes to be parametric in other parametric classes
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Description
This is a proposal for allowing generics as type parameters. It's currently possible to write specific examples of monads, but in order to write the interface that all monads satisfy, I propose writing
interface Monad<T<~>> {
map<A, B>(f: (a: A) => B): T<A> => T<B>;
lift<A>(a: A): T<A>;
join<A>(tta: T<T<A>>): T<A>;
}
Similarly, it's possible to write specific examples of cartesian functors, but in order to write the interface that all cartesian functors satisfy, I propose writing
interface Cartesian<T<~>> {
all<A>(a: Array<T<A>>): T<Array<A>>;
}
Parametric type parameters can take any number of arguments:
interface Foo<T<~,~>> {
bar<A, B>(f: (a: A) => B): T<A, B>;
}
That is, when a type parameter is followed by a tilde and a natural arity, the type parameter should be allowed to be used as a generic type with the given arity in the rest of the declaration.
Just as is the case now, when implementing such an interface, the generic type parameters should be filled in:
class ArrayMonad<A> implements Monad<Array> {
map<A, B>(f: (a:A) => B): Array<A> => Array<B> {
return (arr: Array<A>) => arr.map(f);
}
lift<A>(a: A): Array<A> { return [a]; }
join<A>(tta: Array<Array<A>>): Array<A> {
return tta.reduce((prev, cur) => prev.concat(cur));
}
}
In addition to directly allowing compositions of generic types in the arguments, I propose that typedefs also support defining generics in this way (see issue 308):
typedef Maybe<Array<~>> Composite<~> ;
class Foo implements Monad<Composite<~>> { ... }
The arities of the definition and the alias must match for the typedef to be valid.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reviewing this proposal alongside issue 308, which it identifies for related generic typedef support. The desired behavior includes parametric type parameters with declared arities, generic composition, implementation syntax, and matching typedef arities; completion would require all of these cases to be supported and validated.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- typescript
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 30/100