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Zero-Cost Abstraction

Layer 1: Language Mechanics

Core Question

Do we need compile-time or runtime polymorphism?

Before choosing between generics and trait objects:

• Is the type known at compile time?
• Is a heterogeneous collection needed?
• What's the performance priority?

Error → Design Question

Thinking Prompt

Before adding trait bounds:

1. What abstraction is needed?

   • Same behavior, different types → trait
   • Different behavior, same type → enum
   • No abstraction needed → concrete type

2. When is type known?

   • Compile time → generics (static dispatch)
   • Runtime → trait objects (dynamic dispatch)

3. What's the trade-off priority?

   • Performance → generics
   • Compile time → trait objects
   • Flexibility → depends

Trace Up ↑

When type system fights back:

E0277 (trait bound not satisfied)
    ↑ Ask: Is the abstraction level correct?
    ↑ Check: m09-domain (what behavior is being abstracted?)
    ↑ Check: m05-type-driven (should use newtype?)

Trace Down ↓

From design to implementation:

"Need to abstract over types with same behavior"
    ↓ Types known at compile time → impl Trait or generics
    ↓ Types determined at runtime → dyn Trait

"Need collection of different types"
    ↓ Closed set → enum
    ↓ Open set → Vec<Box<dyn Trait>>

"Need to return different types"
    ↓ Same type → impl Trait
    ↓ Different types → Box<dyn Trait>

Quick Reference

Syntax Comparison

// Static dispatch - type known at compile time
fn process(x: impl Display) { }      // argument position
fn process<T: Display>(x: T) { }     // explicit generic
fn get() -> impl Display { }         // return position

// Dynamic dispatch - type determined at runtime
fn process(x: &dyn Display) { }      // reference
fn process(x: Box<dyn Display>) { }  // owned

Error Code Reference

Decision Guide

Object Safety

A trait is object-safe if it:

• Doesn't have Self: Sized bound
• Doesn't return Self
• Doesn't have generic methods
• Uses where Self: Sized for non-object-safe methods

Anti-Patterns

Related Skills

Weekly Installs

41

Repository

actionbook/rust-skills

GitHub Stars

809

First Seen

Jan 23, 2026

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