Showed the difference between map and and_then with an example.

This commit is contained in:
Sandeep Datta 2016-01-17 14:08:01 +05:30
parent 077f4eeb84
commit 25d068e36e

View file

@ -351,11 +351,21 @@ fn file_name(file_path: &str) -> Option<&str> {
```
You might think that we could use the `map` combinator to reduce the case
analysis, but its type doesn't quite fit. Namely, `map` takes a function that
does something only with the inner value. The result of that function is then
*always* [rewrapped with `Some`](#code-option-map). Instead, we need something
like `map`, but which allows the caller to return another `Option`. Its generic
implementation is even simpler than `map`:
analysis, but its type doesn't quite fit...
```rust
fn file_path_ext(file_path: &str) -> Option<&str> {
file_name(file_path).map(|x| extension(x)) //Compilation error
}
```
The `map` function here wraps the value returned by the `extension` function inside an `Option<_>` and since the `extension` function itself returns an `Option<&str>` the expression `file_name(file_path).map(|x| extension(x))` actually returns an `Option<Option<&str>>`.
But since `file_path_ext` just returns `Option<&str>` (and not `Option<Option<&str>>`) we get a compilation error.
The result of the function taken by map as input is *always* [rewrapped with `Some`](#code-option-map). Instead, we need something like `map`, but which allows the caller to return a `Option<_>` directly without wrapping it in another `Option<_>`.
Its generic implementation is even simpler than `map`:
```rust
fn and_then<F, T, A>(option: Option<T>, f: F) -> Option<A>
@ -377,6 +387,8 @@ fn file_path_ext(file_path: &str) -> Option<&str> {
}
```
Side note: Since `and_then` essentially works like `map` but returns an `Option<_>` instead of an `Option<Option<_>>` it is known as `flatmap` in some other languages.
The `Option` type has many other combinators [defined in the standard
library][5]. It is a good idea to skim this list and familiarize
yourself with what's available—they can often reduce case analysis