[Haskell-cafe] Data declaration vs type classes

[Jonas Scholl]

On 01/08/2016 11:38 AM, Imants Cekusins wrote:
>> How should one go about deciding to use data or class?
> 
> class:
> class lets specify more than one method. when you define instance yet
> do not implement all methods, compiler warns.
> if you try to call class method without an instance for that type,
> compiler warns.
> 
> pattern matching:
> compiler does not warn if methods do not match every constructor of
> the data type.

Well, there is -fwarn-incomplete-patterns, which should be included in
-Wall, which does exactly this.

> 
> one way to decide if not sure, is to pick one way which seems easier
> to refactor. when more code is written, it usually becomes obvious if
> this approach does not fit. then refactor.

A few things to keep in mind: If you define a type class and instances
for Int and String, and later want to add another case for String, you
have to add a newtype, otherwise the compiler can not differentiate.
Additionally, adding a constructor with multiple fields gets complicated
if you choose the type class solution, here you have to add an instance
for a tuple.

Also you need FlexibleInstances as soon as you want an instance for
String or a Tuple more specific than (a, b) (or introduce newtypes).

You can also not process a Task if it is hidden in a class. For example,
how do you implement doOnlyShoppingTask? In the end you restrict
yourself with a type class about the things you can do with the data.

So when is this useful? I would argue, if you are writing a library and
want your users to be able to define their own tasks. Otherwise I think
abstracting a data type with a type class is not worth the hassle.

> 
> 
>> Which is more appropriate here?
> depends on the rest of the code. if this is it, then there is no real
> difference.
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