path: root/src/doc/reference/src/items/traits.md

# Traits

> **<sup>Syntax</sup>**\
> _Trait_ :\
> &nbsp;&nbsp; `unsafe`<sup>?</sup> `trait` [IDENTIFIER]&nbsp;
>              [_GenericParams_]<sup>?</sup>
>              ( `:` [_TypeParamBounds_]<sup>?</sup> )<sup>?</sup>
>              [_WhereClause_]<sup>?</sup> `{`\
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [_InnerAttribute_]<sup>\*</sup>\
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [_AssociatedItem_]<sup>\*</sup>\
> &nbsp;&nbsp; `}`

A _trait_ describes an abstract interface that types can implement. This
interface consists of [associated items], which come in three varieties:

- [functions](associated-items.md#associated-functions-and-methods)
- [types](associated-items.md#associated-types)
- [constants](associated-items.md#associated-constants)

All traits define an implicit type parameter `Self` that refers to "the type
that is implementing this interface". Traits may also contain additional type
parameters. These type parameters, including `Self`, may be constrained by
other traits and so forth [as usual][generics].

Traits are implemented for specific types through separate [implementations].

Trait functions may omit the function body by replacing it with a semicolon.
This indicates that the implementation must define the function. If the trait
function defines a body, this definition acts as a default for any
implementation which does not override it. Similarly, associated constants may
omit the equals sign and expression to indicate implementations must define
the constant value. Associated types must never define the type, the type may
only be specified in an implementation.

```rust
// Examples of associated trait items with and without definitions.
trait Example {
    const CONST_NO_DEFAULT: i32;
    const CONST_WITH_DEFAULT: i32 = 99;
    type TypeNoDefault;
    fn method_without_default(&self);
    fn method_with_default(&self) {}
}
```

Trait functions are not allowed to be [`async`] or [`const`].

## Trait bounds

Generic items may use traits as [bounds] on their type parameters.

## Generic Traits

Type parameters can be specified for a trait to make it generic. These appear
after the trait name, using the same syntax used in [generic functions].

```rust
trait Seq<T> {
    fn len(&self) -> u32;
    fn elt_at(&self, n: u32) -> T;
    fn iter<F>(&self, f: F) where F: Fn(T);
}
```

## Object Safety

Object safe traits can be the base trait of a [trait object]. A trait is
*object safe* if it has the following qualities (defined in [RFC 255]):

* All [supertraits] must also be object safe.
* `Sized` must not be a [supertrait][supertraits]. In other words, it must not require `Self: Sized`.
* It must not have any associated constants.
* It must not have any associated types with generics.
* All associated functions must either be dispatchable from a trait object or be explicitly non-dispatchable:
    * Dispatchable functions require:
        * Not have any type parameters (although lifetime parameters are allowed),
        * Be a [method] that does not use `Self` except in the type of the receiver.
        * Have a receiver with one of the following types:
            * `&Self` (i.e. `&self`)
            * `&mut Self` (i.e `&mut self`)
            * [`Box<Self>`]
            * [`Rc<Self>`]
            * [`Arc<Self>`]
            * [`Pin<P>`] where `P` is one of the types above
        * Does not have a `where Self: Sized` bound (receiver type of `Self` (i.e. `self`) implies this).
    * Explicitly non-dispatchable functions require:
        * Have a `where Self: Sized` bound (receiver type of `Self` (i.e. `self`) implies this).

```rust
# use std::rc::Rc;
# use std::sync::Arc;
# use std::pin::Pin;
// Examples of object safe methods.
trait TraitMethods {
    fn by_ref(self: &Self) {}
    fn by_ref_mut(self: &mut Self) {}
    fn by_box(self: Box<Self>) {}
    fn by_rc(self: Rc<Self>) {}
    fn by_arc(self: Arc<Self>) {}
    fn by_pin(self: Pin<&Self>) {}
    fn with_lifetime<'a>(self: &'a Self) {}
    fn nested_pin(self: Pin<Arc<Self>>) {}
}
# struct S;
# impl TraitMethods for S {}
# let t: Box<dyn TraitMethods> = Box::new(S);
```

```rust,compile_fail
// This trait is object-safe, but these methods cannot be dispatched on a trait object.
trait NonDispatchable {
    // Non-methods cannot be dispatched.
    fn foo() where Self: Sized {}
    // Self type isn't known until runtime.
    fn returns(&self) -> Self where Self: Sized;
    // `other` may be a different concrete type of the receiver.
    fn param(&self, other: Self) where Self: Sized {}
    // Generics are not compatible with vtables.
    fn typed<T>(&self, x: T) where Self: Sized {}
}

struct S;
impl NonDispatchable for S {
    fn returns(&self) -> Self where Self: Sized { S }
}
let obj: Box<dyn NonDispatchable> = Box::new(S);
obj.returns(); // ERROR: cannot call with Self return
obj.param(S);  // ERROR: cannot call with Self parameter
obj.typed(1);  // ERROR: cannot call with generic type
```

```rust,compile_fail
# use std::rc::Rc;
// Examples of non-object safe traits.
trait NotObjectSafe {
    const CONST: i32 = 1;  // ERROR: cannot have associated const

    fn foo() {}  // ERROR: associated function without Sized
    fn returns(&self) -> Self; // ERROR: Self in return type
    fn typed<T>(&self, x: T) {} // ERROR: has generic type parameters
    fn nested(self: Rc<Box<Self>>) {} // ERROR: nested receiver not yet supported
}

struct S;
impl NotObjectSafe for S {
    fn returns(&self) -> Self { S }
}
let obj: Box<dyn NotObjectSafe> = Box::new(S); // ERROR
```

```rust,compile_fail
// Self: Sized traits are not object-safe.
trait TraitWithSize where Self: Sized {}

struct S;
impl TraitWithSize for S {}
let obj: Box<dyn TraitWithSize> = Box::new(S); // ERROR
```

```rust,compile_fail
// Not object safe if `Self` is a type argument.
trait Super<A> {}
trait WithSelf: Super<Self> where Self: Sized {}

struct S;
impl<A> Super<A> for S {}
impl WithSelf for S {}
let obj: Box<dyn WithSelf> = Box::new(S); // ERROR: cannot use `Self` type parameter
```

## Supertraits

**Supertraits** are traits that are required to be implemented for a type to
implement a specific trait. Furthermore, anywhere a [generic][generics] or [trait object]
is bounded by a trait, it has access to the associated items of its supertraits.

Supertraits are declared by trait bounds on the `Self` type of a trait and
transitively the supertraits of the traits declared in those trait bounds. It is
an error for a trait to be its own supertrait.

The trait with a supertrait is called a **subtrait** of its supertrait.

The following is an example of declaring `Shape` to be a supertrait of `Circle`.

```rust
trait Shape { fn area(&self) -> f64; }
trait Circle : Shape { fn radius(&self) -> f64; }
```

And the following is the same example, except using [where clauses].

```rust
trait Shape { fn area(&self) -> f64; }
trait Circle where Self: Shape { fn radius(&self) -> f64; }
```

This next example gives `radius` a default implementation using the `area`
function from `Shape`.

```rust
# trait Shape { fn area(&self) -> f64; }
trait Circle where Self: Shape {
    fn radius(&self) -> f64 {
        // A = pi * r^2
        // so algebraically,
        // r = sqrt(A / pi)
        (self.area() /std::f64::consts::PI).sqrt()
    }
}
```

This next example calls a supertrait method on a generic parameter.

```rust
# trait Shape { fn area(&self) -> f64; }
# trait Circle : Shape { fn radius(&self) -> f64; }
fn print_area_and_radius<C: Circle>(c: C) {
    // Here we call the area method from the supertrait `Shape` of `Circle`.
    println!("Area: {}", c.area());
    println!("Radius: {}", c.radius());
}
```

Similarly, here is an example of calling supertrait methods on trait objects.

```rust
# trait Shape { fn area(&self) -> f64; }
# trait Circle : Shape { fn radius(&self) -> f64; }
# struct UnitCircle;
# impl Shape for UnitCircle { fn area(&self) -> f64 { std::f64::consts::PI } }
# impl Circle for UnitCircle { fn radius(&self) -> f64 { 1.0 } }
# let circle = UnitCircle;
let circle = Box::new(circle) as Box<dyn Circle>;
let nonsense = circle.radius() * circle.area();
```

## Unsafe traits

Traits items that begin with the `unsafe` keyword indicate that *implementing* the
trait may be [unsafe]. It is safe to use a correctly implemented unsafe trait.
The [trait implementation] must also begin with the `unsafe` keyword.

[`Sync`] and [`Send`] are examples of unsafe traits.

## Parameter patterns

Function or method declarations without a body only allow [IDENTIFIER] or
`_` [wild card][WildcardPattern] patterns. `mut` [IDENTIFIER] is currently
allowed, but it is deprecated and will become a hard error in the future.
<!-- https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/35203 -->

In the 2015 edition, the pattern for a trait function or method parameter is
optional:

```rust,edition2015
// 2015 Edition
trait T {
    fn f(i32);  // Parameter identifiers are not required.
}
```

The kinds of patterns for parameters is limited to one of the following:

* [IDENTIFIER]
* `mut` [IDENTIFIER]
* [`_`][WildcardPattern]
* `&` [IDENTIFIER]
* `&&` [IDENTIFIER]

Beginning in the 2018 edition, function or method parameter patterns are no
longer optional. Also, all irrefutable patterns are allowed as long as there
is a body. Without a body, the limitations listed above are still in effect.

```rust
trait T {
    fn f1((a, b): (i32, i32)) {}
    fn f2(_: (i32, i32));  // Cannot use tuple pattern without a body.
}
```

## Item visibility

Trait items syntactically allow a [_Visibility_] annotation, but this is
rejected when the trait is validated. This allows items to be parsed with a
unified syntax across different contexts where they are used. As an example,
an empty `vis` macro fragment specifier can be used for trait items, where the
macro rule may be used in other situations where visibility is allowed.

```rust
macro_rules! create_method {
    ($vis:vis $name:ident) => {
        $vis fn $name(&self) {}
    };
}

trait T1 {
    // Empty `vis` is allowed.
    create_method! { method_of_t1 }
}

struct S;

impl S {
    // Visibility is allowed here.
    create_method! { pub method_of_s }
}

impl T1 for S {}

fn main() {
    let s = S;
    s.method_of_t1();
    s.method_of_s();
}
```

[IDENTIFIER]: ../identifiers.md
[WildcardPattern]: ../patterns.md#wildcard-pattern
[_AssociatedItem_]: associated-items.md
[_GenericParams_]: generics.md
[_InnerAttribute_]: ../attributes.md
[_TypeParamBounds_]: ../trait-bounds.md
[_Visibility_]: ../visibility-and-privacy.md
[_WhereClause_]: generics.md#where-clauses
[bounds]: ../trait-bounds.md
[trait object]: ../types/trait-object.md
[RFC 255]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs/blob/master/text/0255-object-safety.md
[associated items]: associated-items.md
[method]: associated-items.md#methods
[supertraits]: #supertraits
[implementations]: implementations.md
[generics]: generics.md
[where clauses]: generics.md#where-clauses
[generic functions]: functions.md#generic-functions
[unsafe]: ../unsafety.md
[trait implementation]: implementations.md#trait-implementations
[`Send`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#send
[`Sync`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#sync
[`Arc<Self>`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#arct
[`Box<Self>`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#boxt
[`Pin<P>`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#pinp
[`Rc<Self>`]: ../special-types-and-traits.md#rct
[`async`]: functions.md#async-functions
[`const`]: functions.md#const-functions