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Just checked, in my current project, the only place where I use generics is in a custom cache implementation. From my experience in C#, generics are mostly usef

by kgeist 2y ago

Just checked, in my current project, the only place where I use generics is in a custom cache implementation. From my experience in C#, generics are mostly useful for implementing custom containers. It's nice to have a clean interface which doesn't force users to cast types from any.

BlackFly 2y ago
Containers are sort of the leading order use of generics: I put something in and want to statically get that type back (so no cast, still safe). Second use I usually find is when I have some structs with some behavior and some associated but parameterizable helper. In my case, differential equations together with guess initializers for those differential equations. You can certainly do it without generics, but then the initial guess can be the wrong shape if you copy paste and don't change the bits accordingly. The differential equation solver can then take equations that are parameterized by a solution type (varying in dimension, discretisation and variables) together with an initializer that produces an initial guess of that shape. Finally, when your language can do a bit of introspection on the type or the type may have static methods or you have type classes, you can use the generic to control the output. Basically, they are useful (like the article implies) when you want to statically enforce constraints. Some people prefer implicitly enforcing the constraint (if the code works the constraint is satisfied) or with tests (if the tests pass the constraint is satisfied). Other people prefer to have the constraints impossible to not satisfy.
aljarry 2y ago
> From my experience in C#, generics are mostly useful for implementing custom containers. That's my experience as well in C# - most of other usages of generics are painful to maintain in the long run. I've had most problems with code that joins generics with inheritance.
neonsunset 2y ago
C# generics are way more powerful than that when it comes to writing high-performance or just very, err, generic code. Generic constraints and static interface members are immensely useful - you can have a constraint that lets you write ‘T.Parse(text[2..8])’. They are far closer to Rust in some areas (definitely not in type inference sadly, but F# is a different story) than it seems. Of course if one declares that they are an expert in a dozen of languages, most of which have poorly expressive type systems, the final product will end up not taking advantage of having proper generics.

by kgeist 2y ago

BlackFly 2y ago

Containers are sort of the leading order use of generics: I put something in and want to statically get that type back (so no cast, still safe). Second use I usually find is when I have some structs with some behavior and some associated but parameterizable helper. In my case, differential equations together with guess initializers for those differential equations. You can certainly do it without generics, but then the initial guess can be the wrong shape if you copy paste and don't change the bits accordingly. The differential equation solver can then take equations that are parameterized by a solution type (varying in dimension, discretisation and variables) together with an initializer that produces an initial guess of that shape. Finally, when your language can do a bit of introspection on the type or the type may have static methods or you have type classes, you can use the generic to control the output. Basically, they are useful (like the article implies) when you want to statically enforce constraints. Some people prefer implicitly enforcing the constraint (if the code works the constraint is satisfied) or with tests (if the tests pass the constraint is satisfied). Other people prefer to have the constraints impossible to not satisfy.

aljarry 2y ago

> From my experience in C#, generics are mostly useful for implementing custom containers. That's my experience as well in C# - most of other usages of generics are painful to maintain in the long run. I've had most problems with code that joins generics with inheritance.

neonsunset 2y ago

C# generics are way more powerful than that when it comes to writing high-performance or just very, err, generic code. Generic constraints and static interface members are immensely useful - you can have a constraint that lets you write ‘T.Parse(text[2..8])’. They are far closer to Rust in some areas (definitely not in type inference sadly, but F# is a different story) than it seems. Of course if one declares that they are an expert in a dozen of languages, most of which have poorly expressive type systems, the final product will end up not taking advantage of having proper generics.