Rustlings traits4.rs Why impl Trait syntax works but trait bound syntax or where clause does not work

user_1275831 0
Viewed 30

I'm doing Rustlings course traits4.rs exercise. The task is basically choose the correct signature for compare_license_types function. Using the impl Trait syntax as below works well:

pub trait Licensed {
    fn licensing_info(&self) -> String {
        "some information".to_string()
    }
}

struct SomeSoftware {}

struct OtherSoftware {}

impl Licensed for SomeSoftware {}
impl Licensed for OtherSoftware {}

fn compare_license_types(software: impl Licensed, software_two: impl Licensed) -> bool
{
    software.licensing_info() == software_two.licensing_info()
}

#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
    use super::*;

    #[test]
    fn compare_license_information() {
        let some_software = SomeSoftware {};
        let other_software = OtherSoftware {};

        assert!(compare_license_types(some_software, other_software));
    }

    #[test]
    fn compare_license_information_backwards() {
        let some_software = SomeSoftware {};
        let other_software = OtherSoftware {};

        assert!(compare_license_types(other_software, some_software));
    }
}

If I change the function signature to use trait bound syntax or where clause, it no longer compiles:

fn compare_license_types<T: Licensed>(software: T, software_two: T) -> bool {}
// Or
fn compare_license_types<T>(software: T, software_two: T) -> bool
where T: Licensed {}

Both fail with compile error:

error[E0308]: mismatched types
  --> exercises/traits/traits4.rs:37:54
   |
37 |         assert!(compare_license_types(some_software, other_software));
   |                                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ expected struct `SomeSoftware`, found struct `OtherSoftware`

error[E0308]: mismatched types
  --> exercises/traits/traits4.rs:45:55
   |
45 |         assert!(compare_license_types(other_software, some_software));
   |                                                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ expected struct `OtherSoftware`, found struct `SomeSoftware`

What am I missing here?

rust
1 Answers
fn compare_license_types<T: Licensed>(software: T, software_two: T) -> bool { ...

tells the compiler that both software and software_two have type T, where T can be any type implementing Licensed. When you pass in some_software which has type SomeSoftware, Rust infers that T must be type SomeSoftware. But the parameter software_two also has type T, i.e. type SomeSoftware. But you're passing it an argument of type OtherSoftware. That's why it doesn't compile.

You can fix this by making compare_license_types generic over two distinct types that both implement Licensed:

fn compare_license_types<T: Licensed, U: Licensed>(software: T, software_two: U) -> bool { ...

which is what the impl Trait syntax does implicitly.

user_114231040
Related