On Thu, Nov 21, 2019 at 10:25 AM Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> wrote: > > I don't think we are talking about the same thing. You can certainly code an > immutable object - just don't export any methods that mutate the object, nor > export ANY fields.
Correct, we're talking about different things. The question is not whether you can write an immutable object (yes you can), it is whether there is a way to enforce the immutability of the receiver of a method. If the method is exported and if the receiver contains pointers, there can be no guarantee that the method will not modify values reachable from the copy of the receiver. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > >From: burak serdar <bser...@computer.org> > >Sent: Nov 21, 2019 11:09 AM > >To: Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> > >Cc: advanderv...@gmail.com, golang-nuts <golang-nuts@googlegroups.com> > >Subject: Re: [go-nuts] Enforce immutability through static analysis > > > >On Thu, Nov 21, 2019 at 10:05 AM Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> wrote: > >> > >> To clarify - the author of the package enforces immutability. With Go’s > >> design this can be a simple comment on the field. The package shouldn’t be > >> that large where this doesn’t work. > > > >The original problem remains: there is no way to enforce an immutable > >receiver. > > > >> > >> > On Nov 21, 2019, at 10:58 AM, Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> > >> > wrote: > >> > > >> > > >> > Correct, but if the receiver method is mutating it, then it is not an > >> > immutable object. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > -----Original Message----- > >> >> From: burak serdar <bser...@computer.org> > >> >> Sent: Nov 21, 2019 10:53 AM > >> >> To: Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> > >> >> Cc: advanderv...@gmail.com, golang-nuts <golang-nuts@googlegroups.com> > >> >> Subject: Re: [go-nuts] Enforce immutability through static analysis > >> >> > >> >>> On Thu, Nov 21, 2019 at 9:49 AM Robert Engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> > >> >>> wrote: > >> >>> > >> >>> They can't unless the instance field is exported. Just hide it via > >> >>> encapsulation with accessors. > >> >> > >> >> Can't do that with a receiver. All methods of a type are in the same > >> >> package as the type, so all fields are visible to the receiver. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >>> > >> >>> -----Original Message----- > >> >>> From: advanderv...@gmail.com > >> >>> Sent: Nov 21, 2019 10:15 AM > >> >>> To: golang-nuts > >> >>> Subject: [go-nuts] Enforce immutability through static analysis > >> >>> > >> >>> Dear Gophers! > >> >>> > >> >>> I was wonder if it possible to force immutability on the method > >> >>> receiver? I know Go doesn't support immutable types and that it is > >> >>> possible to pass the receiver by value but if the receiver struct has > >> >>> a field with a pointer type the method may still manipulate it: > >> >>> > >> >>> type Counter struct { > >> >>> n *int > >> >>> } > >> >>> > >> >>> func (c Counter) Render() string { > >> >>> *c.n += 1 > >> >>> return strconv.Itoa(*c.n) > >> >>> } > >> >>> > >> >>> I would like to force (or hint) the the user in writing interface{ > >> >>> Render() string } implementations that don't manipulate the method > >> >>> receiver. So that they can be considered 'pure' in the functional > >> >>> sense of the word and can be called repeatedly without side effects. I > >> >>> would like the user to be able to define implementations of interface{ > >> >>> Render() string }such that I can safely call the method and use the > >> >>> returned string to write a http.Reponse without it changing between > >> >>> requests. > >> >>> > >> >>> I control the way in which Render is called and I am open to crazy > >> >>> answers such as: > >> >>> > >> >>> - Maybe it is possible to use reflect to "switch" out the value > >> >>> receiver for a temporary value which is discarded after every call? > >> >>> - Maybe i can use static code analysis to warn the user? How feasible > >> >>> is it to prevent all cases of this happening with just static code > >> >>> analysis? can this be done at runtime? > >> >>> - I could instead ask the user to provide a factory function that init > >> >>> new Counters but maybe very inefficient if the structs are very large > >> >>> (or have many nested structs)? > >> >>> > >> >>> Or maybe there is some possibility that I'm missing? > >> >>> > >> >>> Cheers, > >> >>> > >> >>> Ad > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> -- > >> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> >>> Groups "golang-nuts" group. > >> >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > >> >>> an email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >> >>> To view this discussion on the web visit > >> >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/golang-nuts/7ee35405-fef4-415b-ae5d-95322b4065aa%40googlegroups.com. > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> -- > >> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> >>> Groups "golang-nuts" group. > >> >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > >> >>> an email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >> >>> To view this discussion on the web visit > >> >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/golang-nuts/1622995561.1365.1574354931169%40wamui-scooby.atl.sa.earthlink.net. > >> > > >> > -- > >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> > Groups "golang-nuts" group. > >> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > >> > an email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >> > To view this discussion on the web visit > >> > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/golang-nuts/2080138990.1391.1574355466613%40wamui-scooby.atl.sa.earthlink.net. > >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "golang-nuts" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/golang-nuts/CAMV2Rqrb2W2_gwXp%3DodZWTRfV6WB1xXykTGJ75pAk2rLJjrMRg%40mail.gmail.com.