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diff --git a/nix/yants/README.md b/nix/yants/README.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..d17ea61b52d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/nix/yants/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ +yants +===== + +This is a tiny type-checker for data in Nix, written in Nix. + +# Features + +* Checking of primitive types (`int`, `string` etc.) +* Checking polymorphic types (`option`, `list`, `either`) +* Defining & checking struct/record types +* Defining & matching enum types +* Defining & matching sum types +* Defining function signatures (including curried functions) +* Types are composable! `option string`! `list (either int (option float))`! +* Type errors also compose! + +Currently lacking: + +* Any kind of inference +* Convenient syntax for attribute-set function signatures + +## Primitives & simple polymorphism + +![simple](/about/nix/yants/screenshots/simple.png) + +## Structs + +![structs](/about/nix/yants/screenshots/structs.png) + +## Nested structs! + +![nested structs](/about/nix/yants/screenshots/nested-structs.png) + +## Enums! + +![enums](/about/nix/yants/screenshots/enums.png) + +## Functions! + +![functions](/about/nix/yants/screenshots/functions.png) + +# Usage + +Yants can be imported from its `default.nix`. A single attribute (`lib`) can be +passed, which will otherwise be imported from `<nixpkgs>`. + +TIP: You do not need to clone my whole repository to use Yants! It is split out +into the `nix/yants` branch which you can clone with, for example, `git clone -b +nix/yants https://git.tazj.in yants`. + +Examples for the most common import methods would be: + +1. Import into scope with `with`: + ```nix + with (import ./default.nix {}); + # ... Nix code that uses yants ... + ``` + +2. Import as a named variable: + ```nix + let yants = import ./default.nix {}; + in yants.string "foo" # or other uses ... + ```` + +3. Overlay into `pkgs.lib`: + ```nix + # wherever you import your package set (e.g. from <nixpkgs>): + import <nixpkgs> { + overlays = [ + (self: super: { + lib = super.lib // { yants = import ./default.nix { inherit (super) lib; }; }; + }) + ]; + } + + # yants now lives at lib.yants, besides the other library functions! + ``` + +Please see my [Nix one-pager](https://github.com/tazjin/nix-1p) for more generic +information about the Nix language and what the above constructs mean. + +# Stability + +The current API of Yants is **not yet** considered stable, but it works fine and +should continue to do so even if used at an older version. + +Yants' tests use Nix versions above 2.2 - compatibility with older versions is +not guaranteed. |