Type projection example from “Scala in Action” (chapter 8)

Question

could anyone help me with below code bits from the book?

trait Mapper[F[_]] {
  def fmap[A, B](xs: F[A], f: A => B): F[B]   
}

def VectorMapper = new Mapper[Vector] {
  def fmap[A, B](xs: Vector[A], f: A => B): Vector[B] = xs map f 
}

That was simple: trait definition using higher-kinded type F[_] for usage with any "container-like" types, then a concrete mapper for Vector .

Then goes a tricky part. Mapper for Either . I understand {type E[A] = Either[X, A]} just as a block of code, and ({type E[A] = Either[X, A]})#E as a projection that takes that type alias E out of the anonymous block of code and by that author "hides" the presence of X for the Mapper trait because trait operates on single type parameter "container types" only - and we are interested in A , ie Right .

def EitherMapper[X] = new Mapper[({type E[A] = Either[X, A]})#E ] {
    def fmap[A, B](r: Either[X, A], f: A => B): Either[X, B] = r match {
        case Left(a) => Left(a)
        case Right(a) => Right(f(a))
    }     
}

Question: Why do we need X in the def EitherMapper[X] = part?

Thanks for details.

Answer 1

Either is dependent on two types, for instance Either[Int, String]

EitherMapper is a type constructor that is dependent just on one type, so when you have a EitherMapper[Int] , you are dealing with a Either[Int, A] , and A is resolved into the Mapper part, this way you can have any A=>B function, because the first type of Either is already present for the Mapper and you return a Either[X, B] .

Indeed the type E[A] is equivalent to Either[X, A], you have just one degree of freedom regarding to types!

val right: Either[Boolean, String] = Right("test")
val left: Either[Boolean, String] = Left(false)

println(EitherMapper.fmap(right, (s: String) => s.length))
> Right(4)
println(EitherMapper.fmap(left, (s: String) => s.length))
> Left(false)

In this case the type is EitherMapper[Boolean] and the type of fmap is fmap[String, Integer] , it accepts Either[Boolean, String] and return Either[Boolean, Integer] .

As you can see the type of fmap doesn't say anything on the X part of the Either[X, A] type so in the end you could use the (s: String) => s.length) function for others EitherMapper[X] types, in simple words the "left" part of the either type can be anything you want, and it's the "X" part of the type construction.

Hope it's clearer now!