Struct Methods

Impl

Nifty allows for methods to be added to structs.

For methods the md keyword is used so that if the impl keyword is missed by a programmer or a programmer jumps to the middle of the file it is obvious that these are methods and not ordinary functions. The fn keyword can be used as well if preferred. The md keyword can't be used outside an impl.

Receiver objects can be explicetly passed to methods. See the Receiver Argument section.

You may have noticed that I used both -> and . when calling the functions. Nifty works like c++ in that objects that are pointers use -> and objects that are not pointers use . instead. This is to visually distinguish the two.

Constimpl

A struct can be implemented multiple times. So for instance a struct could exist in a library and you could extend it in you own code.

To prevent this the constimpl keyword can be used.

Multiple constimpl can be used within the orginal file the struct is defined in. With generics there are cases where it may make sence to have seperate implementations for different types.

Receiver Argument

When implementing functions on a struct the structs fields are implicitly available to the function body. Optionally functions implemented on a struct can have a receiver argument. The receiver argument is in brackets right before the functions parentheses. The struct type name can be used for the type.