Std Lib

Similar to interfaces in Java, traits are used to define object types by specifying the signature of the supported methods. In traits methods can have default implementations. In contrast to classes, traits may not have constructor parameters.

Here is an example:

trait Similarity {
  def isSimilar(x: Any): Boolean
  def isNotSimilar(x: Any): Boolean = !isSimilar(x)
}

This trait consists of two methods isSimilar and isNotSimilar. While isSimilar does not provide a concrete method implementation (it is abstract in the terminology of Java), method isNotSimilar defines a concrete implementation. Consequently, classes that integrate this trait only have to provide a concrete implementation for isSimilar. The behavior for isNotSimilar gets inherited directly from the trait.

A class uses the extends keyword to mixin a trait if it is the only relationship the class inherits:

case class Event(name: String)

trait EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String
}

class MyListener extends EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String = {
    event match {
      case Event("Moose Stampede") =>
        "An unfortunate moose stampede occurred"
      case _ => "Nothing of importance occurred"
    }
  }
}

val evt = Event("Moose Stampede")
val myListener = new MyListener
myListener.listen(evt) should be(res0)

A class can only extend from one class or trait, any subsequent extension should use the keyword with:

case class Event(name: String)

trait EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String
}

class OurListener

class MyListener extends OurListener with EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String = {
    event match {
      case Event("Woodchuck Stampede") =>
        "An unfortunate woodchuck stampede occurred"
      case _ => "Nothing of importance occurred"
    }
  }
}

val evt = Event("Woodchuck Stampede")
val myListener = new MyListener
myListener.listen(evt) should be(res0)

Traits are polymorphic. Any type can be referred to by another type if related by extension:

case class Event(name: String)

trait EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String
}

class MyListener extends EventListener {
  def listen(event: Event): String = {
    event match {
      case Event("Moose Stampede") =>
        "An unfortunate moose stampede occurred"
      case _ => "Nothing of importance occurred"
    }
  }
}

val myListener = new MyListener

myListener.isInstanceOf[MyListener] should be(res0)
myListener.isInstanceOf[EventListener] should be(res1)
myListener.isInstanceOf[Any] should be(res2)
myListener.isInstanceOf[AnyRef] should be(res3)

Traits also can use self-types. A self-type lists the required dependencies for mixing in the trait. When mixing in the main trait, all self-type dependencies of that trait must also be mixed in, otherwise a compile-time error is thrown.

Also, the dependencies can't have identical method/property names or else you'll get an illegal inheritance error.

trait B {
  def bId = 2
}

trait A { self: B =>

  def aId = 1
}

//val a = new A  //***does not compile!!!***
val obj = new A with B
(obj.aId + obj.bId) should be(res0)

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Traits