Traits - Rust By Example
Description: A description

# Traits

A `trait` is a collection of methods defined for an unknown type: `Self`. They can access other methods declared in the same trait.

Traits can be implemented for any data type. In the example below, we define `Animal`, a group of methods. The `Animal` `trait` is then implemented for the `Sheep` data type, allowing the use of methods from `Animal` with a `Sheep`.

    struct Sheep { naked: bool, name: &'static str }

    trait Animal {
        // Static method signature; `Self` refers to the implementor type.
        fn new(name: &'static str) -> Self;

        // Instance method signatures; these will return a string.
        fn name(&self) -> &'static str;
        fn noise(&self) -> &'static str;

        // Traits can provide default method definitions.
        fn talk(&self) {
            println!("{} says {}", self.name(), self.noise());
        }
    }

    impl Sheep {
        fn is_naked(&self) -> bool {
            self.naked
        }

        fn shear(&mut self) {
            if self.is_naked() {
                // Implementor methods can use the implementor's trait methods.
                println!("{} is already naked...", self.name());
            } else {
                println!("{} gets a haircut!", self.name);

                self.naked = true;
            }
        }
    }

    // Implement the `Animal` trait for `Sheep`.
    impl Animal for Sheep {
        // `Self` is the implementor type: `Sheep`.
        fn new(name: &'static str) -> Sheep {
            Sheep { name: name, naked: false }
        }

        fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
            self.name
        }

        fn noise(&self) -> &'static str {
            if self.is_naked() {
                "baaaaah?"
            } else {
                "baaaaah!"
            }
        }

        // Default trait methods can be overridden.
        fn talk(&self) {
            // For example, we can add some quiet contemplation.
            println!("{} pauses briefly... {}", self.name, self.noise());
        }
    }

    fn main() {
        // Type annotation is necessary in this case.
        let mut dolly: Sheep = Animal::new("Dolly");
        // TODO ^ Try removing the type annotations.

        dolly.talk();
        dolly.shear();
        dolly.talk();
    }