A code-based presentation of "Don't Fear the Implicits" by Daniel Westheide

Presentation.sc

// https://speakerdeck.com/dwestheide/dont-fear-the-implicits-everything-you-need-to-know-about-typeclasses

object `Preview: implicits can be used for...` {

  trait Dependencies[T] {
    import scala.concurrent.{ExecutionContext, Future}

    def map[S](f: T => S)(implicit executor: ExecutionContext): Future[S]
  }

  trait Configuration {
    import akka.util.Timeout

    // aka: ask
    def ?(message: Any)(implicit timeout: Timeout): Unit
  }

  trait Context {
    import akka.actor.{ActorRef, Actor}
    // aka: tell
    def !(message: Any)(implicit sender: ActorRef = Actor.noSender): Unit

    import play.api.i18n.Lang
    import play.api.libs.json.JsValue
    def errorsAsJson(implicit lang: Lang): JsValue
  }
}

/*
Compare to:

@Configuration // what's that?
@EnableAuthorizationServer // how?
public class AuthorizationServerConfiguration extends AuthorizationServerConfigurerAdapter { // great...
  ...
}

 */

object `Let's try it!` {
  import scala.collection.generic.CanBuildFrom

  val xs = Vector(1, 2).map(_ * 2L) // (implicitly[CanBuildFrom[Vector[Int], Long, Vector[Long]]])
  val sum = xs.sum // (implicitly[Numeric[Long]])
}

object Motivation {
  import org.joda.time.Duration

  // A spark thing
  trait DistributedDataset[A] {
    def foldLeft[B](z: B)(op: (B, A) => B): B
    def count: Int
  }

  object DistributedDataset {
    // just a dummy implementation for examples
    def distribute[A](as: A*): DistributedDataset[A] = new DistributedDataset[A] {
      def foldLeft[B](z: B)(op: (B, A) => B): B = as.foldLeft(z)(op)
      def count = as.size
    }
  }

  val durations = DistributedDataset.distribute(
    Duration standardMinutes  3,
    Duration standardSeconds 17,
    Duration standardSeconds  5,
    Duration standardHours    1)
}

object `What I want to do` {
  import Motivation._

  // Let's deal with mass
  case class Kilograms(value: BigDecimal) {
    def + (y: Kilograms)  = Kilograms(value + y.value)
    def - (y: Kilograms)  = Kilograms(value - y.value)
    def * (y: BigDecimal) = Kilograms(value * y)
    def / (y: BigDecimal) = Kilograms(value / y)
  }

  object Kilograms {
    val zero = Kilograms(BigDecimal(0))

    def sum (xs: DistributedDataset[Kilograms]) = xs.foldLeft(zero)(_ + _)
    def mean(xs: DistributedDataset[Kilograms]) = sum(xs) / xs.count
  }

  // Okay, how about distance?
  case class Kilometers(value: BigDecimal) {
    def + (y: Kilometers) = Kilometers(value + y.value)
    def - (y: Kilometers) = Kilometers(value - y.value)
    def * (y: BigDecimal) = Kilometers(value * y)
    def / (y: BigDecimal) = Kilometers(value / y)
  }

  object Kilometers {
    val zero = Kilometers(BigDecimal(0))

    def sum (xs: DistributedDataset[Kilometers]) = xs.foldLeft(zero)(_ + _)
    def mean(xs: DistributedDataset[Kilometers]) = sum(xs) / xs.count
  }
}

object `Hmmm... Oh, we can use inheritance, right?` {
  import Motivation._

  trait Quantity[A <: Quantity[A]] {
    def value: BigDecimal
    def unit(x: BigDecimal): A

    def + (y: A): A          = unit(value + y.value)
    def - (y: A): A          = unit(value - y.value)
    def * (y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value * y)
    def / (y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value / y)
  }

  object Quantity {
    def sum [A <: Quantity[A]](xs: DistributedDataset[A], zero: A) = xs.foldLeft(zero)(_ + _)
    def mean[A <: Quantity[A]](xs: DistributedDataset[A], zero: A) = sum(xs, zero) / xs.count
  }

  case class Kilograms(value: BigDecimal) extends Quantity[Kilograms] {
    def unit(x: BigDecimal) = Kilograms(x)
  }

  case class Kilometers(value: BigDecimal) extends Quantity[Kilometers] {
    def unit(x: BigDecimal) = Kilometers(x)
  }

  // Maybe we need should use the adapter pattern
  import org.joda.time.Duration

  case class Milliseconds(underlying: Duration) extends Quantity[Milliseconds] {
    def value = underlying.getMillis
    def unit(x: BigDecimal) = Milliseconds(Duration.millis(x.toLong))
  }

  val durations = DistributedDataset.distribute(
    Milliseconds(Duration standardMinutes  3),  // lots of allocations
    Milliseconds(Duration standardSeconds 17),  // boilerplate
    Milliseconds(Duration standardSeconds  5),  // losing original units
    Milliseconds(Duration standardHours    1))

  val meanDuration = Quantity.mean(durations, Milliseconds(Duration.ZERO))
}

object `Let's try something different` {
  import Motivation._
  import org.joda.time.Duration

  case class Kilograms(value: BigDecimal)
  case class Kilometers(value: BigDecimal)

  trait Quantity[A] {
    def value(x: A): BigDecimal
    def unit(x: BigDecimal): A
    def zero: A = unit(BigDecimal(0))
    def plus (x: A, y: A): A          = unit(value(x) + value(y))
    def minus(x: A, y: A): A          = unit(value(x) - value(y))
    def times(x: A, y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value(x) * y)
    def div  (x: A, y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value(x) / y)
  }

  object Quantity {
    val kilogramQuantity: Quantity[Kilograms] = new Quantity[Kilograms] {
      def value(x: Kilograms)  = x.value
      def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Kilograms(x)
    }

    val kilometerQuantity: Quantity[Kilometers] = new Quantity[Kilometers] {
      def value(x: Kilometers) = x.value
      def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Kilometers(x)
    }

    val durationQuantity: Quantity[Duration] = new Quantity[Duration] {
      override val zero = Duration.ZERO
      override def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Duration.millis(x.toLong)
      override def value(x: Duration)   = BigDecimal(x.getMillis)
      override def plus (x: Duration, y: Duration) = x plus y
      override def minus(x: Duration, y: Duration) = x minus y
    }

    def sum[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A], quantity: Quantity[A]): A =
      xs.foldLeft(quantity.zero)(quantity.plus)

    def mean[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A], quantity: Quantity[A]): A =
      quantity.div(sum(xs, quantity), xs.count)
  }

  // let's see how it goes this time
  val durations = DistributedDataset.distribute(
    Duration standardMinutes  3,
    Duration standardSeconds 17,
    Duration standardSeconds  5,
    Duration standardHours    1)

  val meanDuration = Quantity.mean(durations, Quantity.durationQuantity)

  trait `How we get from here to implicits` {
    // original
    def sum1 [A](xs: DistributedDataset[A], quantity: Quantity[A]): A
    def mean1[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A], quantity: Quantity[A]): A

    // usage:
    //   sum1(durations, Quantity.durationQuantity)

    // separate parameter lists
    def sum2 [A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(quantity: Quantity[A]): A
    def mean2[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(quantity: Quantity[A]): A

    // usage:
    //   sum2(durations)(Quantity.durationQuantity)

    // implicit parameter list
    def sum3 [A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(implicit quantity: Quantity[A]): A
    def mean3[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(implicit quantity: Quantity[A]): A

    // usage:
    //   implicit val durationQuantity = Quantity.durationQuantity
    //   sum3(durations)
  }
}

object `Okay, what now?` {
  import Motivation._
  import org.joda.time.Duration

  // let's re-write
  case class Kilograms(value: BigDecimal)
  case class Kilometers(value: BigDecimal)

  trait Quantity[A] {
    def value(x: A): BigDecimal
    def unit(x: BigDecimal): A
    def zero: A = unit(BigDecimal(0))
    def plus (x: A, y: A): A          = unit(value(x) + value(y))
    def minus(x: A, y: A): A          = unit(value(x) - value(y))
    def times(x: A, y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value(x) * y)
    def div  (x: A, y: BigDecimal): A = unit(value(x) / y)
  }

  object Quantity {
    implicit val kilogramQuantity: Quantity[Kilograms] = new Quantity[Kilograms] {
      def value(x: Kilograms)  = x.value
      def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Kilograms(x)
    }

    implicit val kilometerQuantity: Quantity[Kilometers] = new Quantity[Kilometers] {
      def value(x: Kilometers) = x.value
      def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Kilometers(x)
    }

    implicit val durationQuantity: Quantity[Duration] = new Quantity[Duration] {
      override val zero = Duration.ZERO
      override def unit (x: BigDecimal) = Duration.millis(x.toLong)
      override def value(x: Duration)   = BigDecimal(x.getMillis)
      override def plus (x: Duration, y: Duration) = x plus y
      override def minus(x: Duration, y: Duration) = x minus y
    }

    def sum[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(implicit quantity: Quantity[A]): A =
      xs.foldLeft(quantity.zero)(quantity.plus)

    def mean[A](xs: DistributedDataset[A])(implicit quantity: Quantity[A]): A =
      quantity.div(sum(xs), xs.count)
  }

  val meanDuration1 = Quantity.mean(durations)(Quantity.durationQuantity)
  val meanDuration2 = Quantity.mean(durations) // compiler fills in the implicit for us
  // welcome to typeclasses!


  // syntax: context-bounds
  def sum[A: Quantity](xs: DistributedDataset[A]): A = {
    val quantity = implicitly[Quantity[A]]
    xs.foldLeft(quantity.zero)(quantity.plus)
  }

  /**
    * Implicit resolution rules:
    *
    * Explicit:
    * ```
    *   val fooQuant = new Quantity[Foo] { ... }
    *   sum(myFoos)(fooQuant)
    * ```
    *
    * Local:
    * ```
    *   implicit val fooQuant = new Quantity[Foo] { ... }
    *   sum(myFoos) /*(fooQuant)*/
    * ```
    *
    */
  // Implicit resolution rules:
  trait `Implicit resolution rules` {
    class Foo
    val foos: DistributedDataset[Foo] = ???

    //
    // explicit scope, e.g. the symbol itself is visible
    //

    // #1
    def explicit = {
      val fooQuant: Quantity[Foo] = ???
      sum(foos)(fooQuant)
    }

    // #2
    def local = {
      implicit val fooQuant: Quantity[Foo] = ???

      sum(foos)
    }

    // #3
    def imported = {
      object SomeObj {
        object Bar {
          implicit val fooQuant: Quantity[Foo] = ???
        }
      }

      import SomeObj.Bar.fooQuant
      sum(foos) // SomeObj.Bar.fooQuant
    }

    trait Bar {
      implicit val fooQuant: Quantity[Foo] = ???
    }

    // #4
    class InheritFromBar extends Bar {
      sum(foos) // (super.fooQuant)
    }
    // super.fooQuant is not visibile here

    // #5
    def packageObject = {
      // ... package objects are a thing, hard to show in a worksheet ...
    }

    //
    // implicit scope, e.g. symbol not visible, but can be resolved implicitly
    //

    // #6
    def companionOfTypeclass = ???

    // #7 - for Quantity[A], the companion of A
    def companionOfTypeParameter = ???

    // #8 - probably the companion of the super type of A for Quantity[A]
    def companionOfSuperTypes = {
//      trait A
//      object A {
//        implicit def quantA: Quantity[A] = ???
//      }
//
//      class B extends A
//
//      implicitly[Quantity[B]]
    }


  }
}

// This allows us to prioritizing our implicits
object Prioritizing {
  import org.joda.time.Duration

  trait Show[A] { def show(a: A): String }

  trait LowPriorityImplicits {
    implicit def defaultInstance[A]: Show[A] = new Show[A] {
      def show(a: A) = a.toString
    }
  }

  object Show extends LowPriorityImplicits {
    def apply[A: Show](a: A) = implicitly[Show[A]].show(a)

    implicit val showDurationPoorly: Show[Duration] = new Show[Duration] {
      def show(d: Duration) = s"${d.getStandardHours}:${d.getStandardMinutes}"
    }
  }

  case class Foo(age: Int)
  object Foo {
    implicit val showFoo: Show[Foo] = ???
  }

  Show.apply(Duration.millis(60 * 60 * 1000)) // showDurationPoorly
  Show(Option(42)) // LowPriorityImplicits#defaultInstance

  def takeControl = {
    import Show.defaultInstance // \m/

    Show(Duration.millis(60 * 60 * 1000))
  }
}

object `But OOP Syntax!` {
  trait Plus[A] { def plus(x: A, y: A): A }

  object Plus {
    implicit class Syntax[A](x: A)(implicit addA: Plus[A]) {
      def +(y: A) = addA.plus(x, y)
    }
  }

  import Plus.Syntax
  case class Age(years: Int)
  implicit val plusInt = new Plus[Age] { def plus(x: Age, y: Age) = Age(x.years + y.years) }

  Age(20) + Age(22) // why would we add ages? no clue, but we did it
}

Some (maybe) final notes about what implicits can do/are well suited for:

• conversions: if something doesn't type-check, the compiler will see if an implicit def in scope applied to the expression will make it compile
  • warning: this can easily be abused pretty horribly, so generally is only used for next point...
• post-hoc extension of existing, uncontrolled types (e.g. from a library)
  • equivalent to separately defining class and implicit conversion separately
  • usage: (new FooFromSomeLibrary).someNewMethod
  • definition:

    implicit class FooExtension(foo: FooFromSomeLibrary) { 
      def someNewMethod = ???
    }

• derive other implicits (e.g. take a typeclass for A and return a typeclass for List[A])

    // probably doesn't have a reasonable definition, so don't actually do it for quantities
    implicit def listQuant[A: Quantity] = new Quantity[List[A]] {...} 

• type constraints (ex: union types, type equivalence, etc)

    // note: arity-2 types can be written infix, like A =:= Int (good) or Person Map List[Pet] (weird)
    sealed abstract class =:=[A, B]
    object =:= {
      implicit def sameType[A]: =:=[A, A] = new =:=[A, A] {} // only way to create a SameType
    }

    class Foo[A] {
      def somethingThatOnlyWorksOnInts(implicit AisInt: A =:= Int) = ???
    }