Type aliases
Syntax
TypeAlias :
type
IDENTIFIER GenericParams? (:
TypeParamBounds )? WhereClause? (=
Type WhereClause?)?;
A type alias defines a new name for an existing type in the type namespace of the module or block where it is located.
Type aliases are declared with the keyword type
.
Every value has a single, specific type, but may implement several different traits, and may be compatible with several different type constraints.
For example, the following defines the type Point
as a synonym for the type
(u8, u8)
, the type of pairs of unsigned 8 bit integers:
#![allow(unused)] fn main() { type Point = (u8, u8); let p: Point = (41, 68); }
A type alias to a tuple-struct or unit-struct cannot be used to qualify that type’s constructor:
#![allow(unused)] fn main() { struct MyStruct(u32); use MyStruct as UseAlias; type TypeAlias = MyStruct; let _ = UseAlias(5); // OK let _ = TypeAlias(5); // Doesn't work }
A type alias, when not used as an associated type, must include a Type and may not include TypeParamBounds.
A type alias, when used as an associated type in a trait, must not include a Type specification but may include TypeParamBounds.
A type alias, when used as an associated type in a trait impl, must include a Type specification and may not include TypeParamBounds.
Where clauses before the equals sign on a type alias in a trait impl (like
type TypeAlias<T> where T: Foo = Bar<T>
) are deprecated. Where clauses after
the equals sign (like type TypeAlias<T> = Bar<T> where T: Foo
) are preferred.