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seqc/
unification.rs

1//! Type unification for Seq
2//!
3//! Implements Hindley-Milner style unification with support for:
4//! - Type variables (T, U, V)
5//! - Row variables (..a, ..rest)
6//! - Concrete types (Int, Bool, String)
7
8use crate::types::{StackType, Type};
9use std::collections::HashMap;
10
11/// Substitutions for type variables
12pub type TypeSubst = HashMap<String, Type>;
13
14/// Substitutions for row variables (stack type variables)
15pub type RowSubst = HashMap<String, StackType>;
16
17/// Combined substitution environment
18#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
19pub struct Subst {
20    pub types: TypeSubst,
21    pub rows: RowSubst,
22}
23
24impl Subst {
25    /// Create an empty substitution
26    pub fn empty() -> Self {
27        Subst {
28            types: HashMap::new(),
29            rows: HashMap::new(),
30        }
31    }
32
33    /// Apply substitutions to a Type
34    pub fn apply_type(&self, ty: &Type) -> Type {
35        match ty {
36            Type::Var(name) => self.types.get(name).cloned().unwrap_or(ty.clone()),
37            _ => ty.clone(),
38        }
39    }
40
41    /// Apply substitutions to a StackType
42    pub fn apply_stack(&self, stack: &StackType) -> StackType {
43        match stack {
44            StackType::Empty => StackType::Empty,
45            StackType::Cons { rest, top } => {
46                let new_rest = self.apply_stack(rest);
47                let new_top = self.apply_type(top);
48                StackType::Cons {
49                    rest: Box::new(new_rest),
50                    top: new_top,
51                }
52            }
53            StackType::RowVar(name) => self.rows.get(name).cloned().unwrap_or(stack.clone()),
54        }
55    }
56
57    /// Compose two substitutions (apply other after self)
58    /// Result: (other ∘ self) where self is applied first, then other
59    pub fn compose(&self, other: &Subst) -> Subst {
60        let mut types = HashMap::new();
61        let mut rows = HashMap::new();
62
63        // Apply other to all of self's type substitutions
64        for (k, v) in &self.types {
65            types.insert(k.clone(), other.apply_type(v));
66        }
67
68        // Add other's type substitutions (applying self to other's values)
69        for (k, v) in &other.types {
70            let v_subst = self.apply_type(v);
71            types.insert(k.clone(), v_subst);
72        }
73
74        // Apply other to all of self's row substitutions
75        for (k, v) in &self.rows {
76            rows.insert(k.clone(), other.apply_stack(v));
77        }
78
79        // Add other's row substitutions (applying self to other's values)
80        for (k, v) in &other.rows {
81            let v_subst = self.apply_stack(v);
82            rows.insert(k.clone(), v_subst);
83        }
84
85        Subst { types, rows }
86    }
87}
88
89/// Check if a type variable occurs in a type (for occurs check)
90///
91/// Prevents infinite types like: T = List<T>
92///
93/// NOTE: Currently we only have simple types (Int, String, Bool).
94/// When parametric types are added (e.g., List<T>, Option<T>), this function
95/// must be extended to recursively check type arguments:
96///
97/// ```ignore
98/// Type::Named { name: _, args } => {
99///     args.iter().any(|arg| occurs_in_type(var, arg))
100/// }
101/// ```
102fn occurs_in_type(var: &str, ty: &Type) -> bool {
103    match ty {
104        Type::Var(name) => name == var,
105        // Concrete types contain no type variables
106        Type::Int
107        | Type::Float
108        | Type::Bool
109        | Type::String
110        | Type::Symbol
111        | Type::Channel
112        | Type::Socket
113        | Type::Union(_)
114        | Type::Variant => false,
115        Type::Quotation(effect) => {
116            // Check if var occurs in quotation's input or output stack types
117            occurs_in_stack(var, &effect.inputs) || occurs_in_stack(var, &effect.outputs)
118        }
119        Type::Closure { effect, captures } => {
120            // Check if var occurs in closure's effect or any captured types
121            occurs_in_stack(var, &effect.inputs)
122                || occurs_in_stack(var, &effect.outputs)
123                || captures.iter().any(|t| occurs_in_type(var, t))
124        }
125    }
126}
127
128/// Check if a row variable occurs in a stack type (for occurs check)
129fn occurs_in_stack(var: &str, stack: &StackType) -> bool {
130    match stack {
131        StackType::Empty => false,
132        StackType::RowVar(name) => name == var,
133        StackType::Cons { rest, top: _ } => {
134            // Row variables only occur in stack positions, not in type positions
135            // So we only need to check the rest of the stack
136            occurs_in_stack(var, rest)
137        }
138    }
139}
140
141/// Unify two types, returning a substitution or an error
142pub fn unify_types(t1: &Type, t2: &Type) -> Result<Subst, String> {
143    match (t1, t2) {
144        // Same concrete types unify
145        (Type::Int, Type::Int)
146        | (Type::Float, Type::Float)
147        | (Type::Bool, Type::Bool)
148        | (Type::String, Type::String)
149        | (Type::Symbol, Type::Symbol)
150        | (Type::Channel, Type::Channel)
151        | (Type::Socket, Type::Socket) => Ok(Subst::empty()),
152
153        // Union types unify if they have the same name
154        (Type::Union(name1), Type::Union(name2)) => {
155            if name1 == name2 {
156                Ok(Subst::empty())
157            } else {
158                Err(format!(
159                    "Type mismatch: cannot unify Union({}) with Union({})",
160                    name1, name2
161                ))
162            }
163        }
164
165        // Variant matches itself
166        (Type::Variant, Type::Variant) => Ok(Subst::empty()),
167
168        // Union <: Variant relaxation — a named union value is a variant.
169        // This lets `variant.*` builtins (typed against `Variant`) accept
170        // user values typed as `Union(name)` without losing union safety
171        // elsewhere: the rule applies only when one side is the bare
172        // `Variant` placeholder. Mirrors the Closure <: Quotation rule
173        // below; the symmetric form is a minor unsoundness in the reverse
174        // direction (a `Variant` flowing back into a `Union(name)` slot)
175        // that we accept for now.
176        //
177        // TODO: tighten to a directional rule once the typechecker tracks
178        // which side of a unification is "expected" vs "actual". Today a
179        // `Variant` (e.g. the result of `variant.append`) silently
180        // satisfies a `Union(name)` constraint without checking the tag —
181        // intended pragmatic loophole, not a permanent stance.
182        (Type::Union(_), Type::Variant) | (Type::Variant, Type::Union(_)) => Ok(Subst::empty()),
183
184        // Type variable unifies with anything (with occurs check)
185        (Type::Var(name), ty) | (ty, Type::Var(name)) => {
186            // If unifying a variable with itself, no substitution needed
187            if matches!(ty, Type::Var(ty_name) if ty_name == name) {
188                return Ok(Subst::empty());
189            }
190
191            // Occurs check: prevent infinite types
192            if occurs_in_type(name, ty) {
193                return Err(format!(
194                    "Occurs check failed: cannot unify {:?} with {:?} (would create infinite type)",
195                    Type::Var(name.clone()),
196                    ty
197                ));
198            }
199
200            let mut subst = Subst::empty();
201            subst.types.insert(name.clone(), ty.clone());
202            Ok(subst)
203        }
204
205        // Quotation types unify if their effects unify
206        (Type::Quotation(effect1), Type::Quotation(effect2)) => {
207            // Unify inputs
208            let s_in = unify_stacks(&effect1.inputs, &effect2.inputs)?;
209
210            // Apply substitution to outputs and unify
211            let out1 = s_in.apply_stack(&effect1.outputs);
212            let out2 = s_in.apply_stack(&effect2.outputs);
213            let s_out = unify_stacks(&out1, &out2)?;
214
215            // Compose substitutions
216            Ok(s_in.compose(&s_out))
217        }
218
219        // Closure types unify if their effects unify (ignoring captures)
220        // Captures are an implementation detail determined by the type checker,
221        // not part of the user-visible type
222        (
223            Type::Closure {
224                effect: effect1, ..
225            },
226            Type::Closure {
227                effect: effect2, ..
228            },
229        ) => {
230            // Unify inputs
231            let s_in = unify_stacks(&effect1.inputs, &effect2.inputs)?;
232
233            // Apply substitution to outputs and unify
234            let out1 = s_in.apply_stack(&effect1.outputs);
235            let out2 = s_in.apply_stack(&effect2.outputs);
236            let s_out = unify_stacks(&out1, &out2)?;
237
238            // Compose substitutions
239            Ok(s_in.compose(&s_out))
240        }
241
242        // Closure <: Quotation (subtyping)
243        // A Closure can be used where a Quotation is expected
244        // The runtime will dispatch appropriately
245        (Type::Quotation(quot_effect), Type::Closure { effect, .. })
246        | (Type::Closure { effect, .. }, Type::Quotation(quot_effect)) => {
247            // Unify the effects (ignoring captures - they're an implementation detail)
248            let s_in = unify_stacks(&quot_effect.inputs, &effect.inputs)?;
249
250            // Apply substitution to outputs and unify
251            let out1 = s_in.apply_stack(&quot_effect.outputs);
252            let out2 = s_in.apply_stack(&effect.outputs);
253            let s_out = unify_stacks(&out1, &out2)?;
254
255            // Compose substitutions
256            Ok(s_in.compose(&s_out))
257        }
258
259        // Different concrete types don't unify
260        _ => Err(format!("Type mismatch: cannot unify {} with {}", t1, t2)),
261    }
262}
263
264/// Unify two stack types, returning a substitution or an error
265pub fn unify_stacks(s1: &StackType, s2: &StackType) -> Result<Subst, String> {
266    match (s1, s2) {
267        // Empty stacks unify
268        (StackType::Empty, StackType::Empty) => Ok(Subst::empty()),
269
270        // Row variable unifies with any stack (with occurs check)
271        (StackType::RowVar(name), stack) | (stack, StackType::RowVar(name)) => {
272            // If unifying a row var with itself, no substitution needed
273            if matches!(stack, StackType::RowVar(stack_name) if stack_name == name) {
274                return Ok(Subst::empty());
275            }
276
277            // Occurs check: prevent infinite stack types
278            if occurs_in_stack(name, stack) {
279                return Err(format!(
280                    "Occurs check failed: cannot unify {} with {} (would create infinite stack type)",
281                    StackType::RowVar(name.clone()),
282                    stack
283                ));
284            }
285
286            let mut subst = Subst::empty();
287            subst.rows.insert(name.clone(), stack.clone());
288            Ok(subst)
289        }
290
291        // Cons cells unify if tops and rests unify
292        (
293            StackType::Cons {
294                rest: rest1,
295                top: top1,
296            },
297            StackType::Cons {
298                rest: rest2,
299                top: top2,
300            },
301        ) => {
302            // Unify the tops
303            let s_top = unify_types(top1, top2)?;
304
305            // Apply substitution to rests and unify
306            let rest1_subst = s_top.apply_stack(rest1);
307            let rest2_subst = s_top.apply_stack(rest2);
308            let s_rest = unify_stacks(&rest1_subst, &rest2_subst)?;
309
310            // Compose substitutions
311            Ok(s_top.compose(&s_rest))
312        }
313
314        // Empty doesn't unify with Cons
315        _ => Err(format!(
316            "Stack shape mismatch: cannot unify {} with {}",
317            s1, s2
318        )),
319    }
320}
321
322#[cfg(test)]
323mod tests;