List type signatures

New to Daml
1

Sometimes when I want to explain that a list is just a parameterized data structure, I want to avoid writing [a], is there a way to use the word List in a type definition:

For example, instead of

filter : (a -> Bool) -> [a] -> [a]

filter : (a -> Bool) -> List a -> List a

I get a scary warning about imports when I try the above.

2

The warning isn’t all that scary:

  daml/Main.daml:8:8: warning:
  In the use of type constructor or class ‘List’
  (imported from Prelude, but defined in DA.Internal.Compatible):
  Deprecated: "Daml compatibility helper, use [a] instead of 'List a'"

You can safely ignore that if you want.

Alternatively, you can define your own synonym which then does not trigger the warning:

module Main where

import Prelude hiding (List)

type List a = [a]

test : List a -> List a
test = identity
2 Likes
3

I’d personally prefer if the deprecation were the other way around, that is, suggesting List a instead of [a]. I think that would fit better with Daml's preference for simpler terms, such as Action instead of Monad.

1 Like
4

@akrmn fair point but I think the breakage from that is too large at this point.