Discriminated union for Go

gosumtype_1_declaration.go

package gosumtype

import (
	"time"
)

// To define this sum type:
//
//	type User
//	    = Anonymous
//	    | Member String Time
//	    | Admin String
//
// Ideally, we just code something like this and the
// rest of the boiler plate can be generated
type User interface {
	Switch(s UserScenarios)
}

type UserScenarios struct {
	Anonymous func()
	Member    func(email string, since time.Time)
	Admin     func(email string)
}

gosumtype_2_usage.go

package gosumtype

import (
	"log"
	"time"
)

// Example usage
func Caller() {
	user1 := Anonymous()
	user2 := Member("Alice", time.Now())
	user3 := Admin("Bob")

	log.Println(
		"User1:", UserString(user1),
		"User2:", UserString(user2),
		"User3:", UserString(user3),
	)
}

func UserString(u User) string {
	var result string
	u.Switch(UserScenarios{
		Anonymous: func() {
			result = "anonymous coward"
		},
		Member: func(email string, since time.Time) {
			result = email + " (member since " + since.String() + ")"
		},
		Admin: func(email string) {
			result = email + " (admin)"
		},
	})
	return result
}

gosumtype_3_test.go

package gosumtype

import (
	"log"
	"strconv"
	"testing"
	"time"
)

func TestUser(t *testing.T) {
	testCases := []struct {
		givenUser User
	}{
		{
			givenUser: Anonymous(),
		},
		{
			givenUser: Member("bob@example.com", time.Now()),
		},
		{
			givenUser: Admin("boss@example.com"),
		},
	}

	for i, tc := range testCases {
		t.Run(strconv.Itoa(i), func(t *testing.T) {
			// using names are very helpful, but loses the exhaustive check at compile time
			// since Go happily set the undefined scenarios as function zero value: nil
			//
			// but we can use https://golangci-lint.run/usage/linters/#exhaustruct
			// to check at CI instead of suffering from zero value at runtime
			tc.givenUser.Switch(UserScenarios{
				Anonymous: func() {
					log.Println("i am anonymous")
				},
				Member: func(email string, since time.Time) {
					log.Println("member", email, since)
				},
				Admin: func(email string) {
					log.Println("admin", email)
				},
			})
		})
	}
}

gosumtype_4_boilerplate.go

package gosumtype

import "time"

//
// Boiler plate code below:
//

// Anonymous
type anonymous struct{}

func (a anonymous) Switch(s UserScenarios) { s.Anonymous() }

func Anonymous() User {
	return anonymous{}
}

// Member string time.Time
type member struct {
	email string
	since time.Time
}

func (m member) Switch(s UserScenarios) { s.Member(m.email, m.since) }

func Member(email string, since time.Time) User {
	return member{email, since}
}

// Admin string
type admin struct{ email string }

func (a admin) Switch(s UserScenarios) { s.Admin(a.email) }

func Admin(email string) User {
	return admin{email}
}

regarding

using names are very helpful, but loses the exhaustive check at compile time

actually we have https://golangci-lint.run/usage/linters/#exhaustruct now 🌈

https://github.com/alecthomas/go-check-sumtype

but this needs a declaration

Done https://github.com/choonkeat/sumtype-go