Comparison of programming languages (algebraic data type)

This article compares the syntax for defining and instantiating an algebraic data type (ADT), sometimes also referred to as a tagged union, in various programming languages.

Examples of algebraic data types edit

Ceylon edit

In Ceylon, an ADT may be defined with:[1]

abstract class Tree()
    of empty | Node {}

object empty
    extends Tree() {}

final class Node(shared Integer val, shared Tree left, shared Tree right)
    extends Tree() {}

And instantiated as:

value myTree = Node(42, Node(0, empty, empty), empty);

Clean edit

In Clean, an ADT may be defined with:[2]

:: Tree
  = Empty
  | Node Int Tree Tree

And instantiated as:

myTree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Coq edit

In Coq, an ADT may be defined with:[3]

Inductive tree : Type :=
| empty : tree
| node : nat -> tree -> tree -> tree.

And instantiated as:

Definition my_tree := node 42 (node 0 empty empty) empty.

C++ edit

In C++, an ADT may be defined with:[4]

struct Empty final {};

struct Node final {
    int value;
    std::unique_ptr<std::variant<Empty, Node>> left;
    std::unique_ptr<std::variant<Empty, Node>> right;
};

using Tree = std::variant<Empty, Node>;

And instantiated as:

Tree myTree { Node{
    42,
    std::make_unique<Tree>(Node{
        0,
        std::make_unique<Tree>(),
        std::make_unique<Tree>()
    }),
    std::make_unique<Tree>()
} };

Dart edit

In Dart, an ADT may be defined with:[5]

sealed class Tree {}

final class Empty extends Tree {}

final class Node extends Tree {
  final int value;
  final Tree left, right;

  Node(this.value, this.left, this.right);
}

And instantiated as:

final myTree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty(), Empty()), Empty());

Elm edit

In Elm, an ADT may be defined with:[6]

type Tree
  = Empty
  | Node Int Tree Tree

And instantiated as:

myTree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

F# edit

In F#, an ADT may be defined with:[7]

type Tree =
    | Empty
    | Node of int * Tree * Tree

And instantiated as:

let myTree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty, Empty), Empty)

F* edit

In F*, an ADT may be defined with:[8]

type tree =
  | Empty : tree
  | Node : value:nat -> left:tree -> right:tree -> tree

And instantiated as:

let my_tree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Free Pascal edit

In Free Pascal, an ADT may be defined with:[9]

type
  TTreeKind = (tkEmpty, tkNode);

  PTree = ^TTree;

  TTree = record
    case FKind: TTreeKind of
      tkEmpty: ();
      tkNode: (
        FValue: Integer;
        FLeft, FRight: PTree;
      );
  end;

And instantiated as:

var
  MyTree: PTree;

begin
  new(MyTree);
  MyTree^.FKind := tkNode;
  MyTree^.FValue := 42;
  new(MyTree^.FLeft);
  MyTree^.FLeft^.FKind := tkNode;
  MyTree^.FLeft^.FValue := 0;
  new(MyTree^.FLeft^.FLeft);
  MyTree^.FLeft^.FLeft^.FKind := tkEmpty;
  new(MyTree^.FLeft^.FRight);
  MyTree^.FLeft^.FRight^.FKind := tkEmpty;
  new(MyTree^.FRight);
  MyTree^.FRight^.FKind := tkEmpty;
end.

Haskell edit

In Haskell, an ADT may be defined with:[10]

data Tree
    = Empty
    | Node Int Tree Tree

And instantiated as:

myTree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Haxe edit

In Haxe, an ADT may be defined with:[11]

enum Tree {
	Empty;
	Node(value:Int, left:Tree, right:Tree);
}

And instantiated as:

var myTree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty, Empty), Empty);

Hope edit

In Hope, an ADT may be defined with:[12]

data tree == empty
          ++ node (num # tree # tree);

And instantiated as:

dec mytree : tree;
--- mytree <= node (42, node (0, empty, empty), empty);

Idris edit

In Idris, an ADT may be defined with:[13]

data Tree
    = Empty
    | Node Nat Tree Tree

And instantiated as:

myTree : Tree
myTree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Java edit

In Java, an ADT may be defined with:[14]

sealed interface Tree {
    record Empty() implements Tree {}
    record Node(int value, Tree left, Tree right) implements Tree {}
}

And instantiated as:

var myTree = new Tree.Node(
    42,
    new Tree.Node(0, new Tree.Empty(), new Tree.Empty()),
    new Tree.Empty()
);

Julia edit

In Julia, an ADT may be defined with:[15]

struct Empty
end

struct Node
    value::Int
    left::Union{Empty, Node}
    right::Union{Empty, Node}
end

const Tree = Union{Empty, Node}

And instantiated as:

mytree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty(), Empty()), Empty())

Kotlin edit

In Kotlin, an ADT may be defined with:[16]

sealed class Tree {
    object Empty : Tree()
    data class Node(val value: Int, val left: Tree, val right: Tree) : Tree()
}

And instantiated as:

val myTree = Tree.Node(
    42,
    Tree.Node(0, Tree.Empty, Tree.Empty),
    Tree.Empty,
)

Limbo edit

In Limbo, an ADT may be defined with:[17]

Tree: adt {
	pick {
	Empty =>
	Node =>
		value: int;
		left: ref Tree;
		right: ref Tree;
	}
};

And instantiated as:

myTree := ref Tree.Node(
	42,
	ref Tree.Node(0, ref Tree.Empty(), ref Tree.Empty()),
	ref Tree.Empty()
);

Mercury edit

In Mercury, an ADT may be defined with:[18]

:- type tree
    --->    empty
    ;       node(int, tree, tree).

And instantiated as:

:- func my_tree = tree.
my_tree = node(42, node(0, empty, empty), empty).

Miranda edit

In Miranda, an ADT may be defined with:[19]

tree ::=
    Empty
    | Node num tree tree

And instantiated as:

my_tree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Nemerle edit

In Nemerle, an ADT may be defined with:[20]

variant Tree
{
    | Empty
    | Node {
        value: int;
        left: Tree;
        right: Tree;
    }
}

And instantiated as:

def myTree = Tree.Node(
    42,
    Tree.Node(0, Tree.Empty(), Tree.Empty()),
    Tree.Empty(),
);

Nim edit

In Nim, an ADT may be defined with:[21]

type
  TreeKind = enum
    tkEmpty
    tkNode

  Tree = ref TreeObj

  TreeObj = object
    case kind: TreeKind
    of tkEmpty:
      discard
    of tkNode:
      value: int
      left, right: Tree

And instantiated as:

let myTree = Tree(kind: tkNode, value: 42,
                  left: Tree(kind: tkNode, value: 0,
                             left: Tree(kind: tkEmpty),
                             right: Tree(kind: tkEmpty)),
                  right: Tree(kind: tkEmpty))

OCaml edit

In OCaml, an ADT may be defined with:[22]

type tree =
  | Empty
  | Node of int * tree * tree

And instantiated as:

let my_tree = Node (42, Node (0, Empty, Empty), Empty)

Opa edit

In Opa, an ADT may be defined with:[23]

type tree =
  { empty } or
  { node, int value, tree left, tree right }

And instantiated as:

my_tree = {
  node,
  value: 42,
  left: {
    node,
    value: 0,
    left: { empty },
    right: { empty }
  },
  right: { empty }
}

OpenCog edit

In OpenCog, an ADT may be defined with:[24]

PureScript edit

In PureScript, an ADT may be defined with:[25]

data Tree
  = Empty
  | Node Int Tree Tree

And instantiated as:

myTree = Node 42 (Node 0 Empty Empty) Empty

Python edit

In Python, an ADT may be defined with:[26]

from __future__ import annotations
from dataclasses import dataclass

@dataclass
class Empty:
    pass

@dataclass
class Node:
    value: int
    left: Tree
    right: Tree

Tree = Empty | Node

And instantiated as:

my_tree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty(), Empty()), Empty())

Racket edit

In Typed Racket, an ADT may be defined with:[27]

(struct Empty ())
(struct Node ([value : Integer] [left : Tree] [right : Tree]))
(define-type Tree (U Empty Node))

And instantiated as:

(define my-tree (Node 42 (Node 0 (Empty) (Empty)) (Empty)))

Reason edit

Reason edit

In Reason, an ADT may be defined with:[28]

type Tree =
  | Empty
  | Node(int, Tree, Tree);

And instantiated as:

let myTree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty, Empty), Empty);

ReScript edit

In ReScript, an ADT may be defined with:[29]

type rec Tree =
  | Empty
  | Node(int, Tree, Tree)

And instantiated as:

let myTree = Node(42, Node(0, Empty, Empty), Empty)

Rust edit

In Rust, an ADT may be defined with:[30]

enum Tree {
    Empty,
    Node(i32, Box<Tree>, Box<Tree>),
}

And instantiated as:

let my_tree = Tree::Node(
    42,
    Box::new(Tree::Node(0, Box::new(Tree::Empty), Box::new(Tree::Empty)),
    Box::new(Tree::Empty),
);

Scala edit

Scala 2 edit

In Scala 2, an ADT may be defined with:[citation needed]

sealed abstract class Tree extends Product with Serializable

object Tree {
  final case object Empty extends Tree
  final case class Node(value: Int, left: Tree, right: Tree)
      extends Tree
}

And instantiated as:

val myTree = Tree.Node(
  42,
  Tree.Node(0, Tree.Empty, Tree.Empty),
  Tree.Empty
)

Scala 3 edit

In Scala 3, an ADT may be defined with:[31]

enum Tree:
  case Empty
  case Node(value: Int, left: Tree, right: Tree)

And instantiated as:

val myTree = Tree.Node(
  42,
  Tree.Node(0, Tree.Empty, Tree.Empty),
  Tree.Empty
)

Standard ML edit

In Standard ML, an ADT may be defined with:[32]

datatype tree =
    EMPTY
  | NODE of int * tree * tree

And instantiated as:

val myTree = NODE (42, NODE (0, EMPTY, EMPTY), EMPTY)

Swift edit

In Swift, an ADT may be defined with:[33]

enum Tree {
    case empty
    indirect case node(Int, Tree, Tree)
}

And instantiated as:

let myTree: Tree = .node(42, .node(0, .empty, .empty), .empty)

TypeScript edit

In TypeScript, an ADT may be defined with:[34]

type Tree =
  | { kind: "empty" }
  | { kind: "node"; value: number; left: Tree; right: Tree };

And instantiated as:

const myTree: Tree = {
  kind: "node",
  value: 42,
  left: {
    kind: "node",
    value: 0,
    left: { kind: "empty" },
    right: { kind: "empty" },
  },
  right: { kind: "empty" },
};

Visual Prolog edit

In Visual Prolog, an ADT may be defined with:[35]

domains
    tree = empty; node(integer, tree, tree).

And instantiated as:

constants
    my_tree : tree = node(42, node(0, empty, empty), empty).

References edit

  1. ^ "Eclipse Ceylon: Union, intersection, and enumerated types". ceylon-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  2. ^ "Clean 2.2 Ref Man". clean.cs.ru.nl. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  3. ^ "Inductive types and recursive functions — Coq 8.14.1 documentation". coq.inria.fr. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  4. ^ "std::variant - cppreference.com". en.cppreference.com. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  5. ^ "Patterns". dart.dev. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  6. ^ "Custom Types · An Introduction to Elm". guide.elm-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  7. ^ cartermp. "Discriminated Unions - F#". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  8. ^ "Inductive types and pattern matching — Proof-Oriented Programming in F* documentation". www.fstar-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  9. ^ "Record types". www.freepascal.org. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
  10. ^ "4 Declarations and Bindings". www.haskell.org. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  11. ^ "Enum Instance". Haxe - The Cross-platform Toolkit. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  12. ^ "Defining your own data types". 2011-08-10. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  13. ^ "Types and Functions — Idris2 0.0 documentation". idris2.readthedocs.io. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  14. ^ "JEP 409: Sealed Classes". openjdk.java.net. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
  15. ^ "Types · The Julia Language". docs.julialang.org. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  16. ^ "Sealed classes | Kotlin". Kotlin Help. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  17. ^ Stanley-Marbell, Phillip (2003). Inferno Programming with Limbo. Wiley. pp. 67–71. ISBN 978-0470843529.
  18. ^ "The Mercury Language Reference Manual: Discriminated unions". www.mercurylang.org. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  19. ^ "An Overview of Miranda". www.cs.kent.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  20. ^ "Basic Variants · rsdn/nemerle Wiki". GitHub. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  21. ^ "Nim Manual". nim-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  22. ^ "OCaml - The OCaml language". ocaml.org. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  23. ^ "The type system · MLstate/opalang Wiki". GitHub. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  24. ^ "Type constructor - OpenCog". wiki.opencog.org. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  25. ^ purescript/documentation, PureScript, 2021-11-24, retrieved 2021-11-30
  26. ^ PEP 484 – Type Hints, Python
  27. ^ "2 Beginning Typed Racket". docs.racket-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  28. ^ "Variants · Reason". reasonml.github.io. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  29. ^ "Variant | ReScript Language Manual". ReScript Documentation. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  30. ^ "enum - Rust". doc.rust-lang.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  31. ^ "Algebraic Data Types". Scala Documentation. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  32. ^ "Defining datatypes". homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  33. ^ "Enumerations — The Swift Programming Language (Swift 5.5)". docs.swift.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  34. ^ "Documentation - TypeScript for Functional Programmers". www.typescriptlang.org. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  35. ^ "Language Reference/Domains - wiki.visual-prolog.com". wiki.visual-prolog.com. Retrieved 2021-12-07.