Modules in Rust

What are modules

Module is a block to manage the code in Rust. Module can have(functions, constants, enums, triats, structs etc) Similar to namespaces, modules in c++ & modules in python. We can create module using mod module_name {}

Creating a module & accessing its function

1. Complete Hierarchy has to be made explicitly public ie module_b & fun(). By default everything is private and cannot be accessed. 2. functions can be accessed either using Absolute or relative path.

Absolute path: starts from crate

Relative path: starts from scope in which module is called. //Preferred

crate
└── module_a
    |── module_b
        ├── fun1
        └── fun2

mod module_a {
    pub mod module_b {              //1. module_b made public
        pub fn fun1() {              //1. fun() made public
            print!("fun");
        }
        fn fun2(){}
    }
}

fn main(){
    crate::module_a::module_b::fun1();   //2. Absolute path
    module_a::module_b::fun1();          //2. Relative path
    
    module_a::module_b::fun2();         //Error, cannot access private
}        

super keyword

With keyword super, We can construct relative paths that begin in the parent module.

This is like starting a filesystem path with the .. syntax

mod module_a {
    fn fun_a(){}
    pub mod module_b {
        fn fun_b(){}
        pub mod module_c {
            pub fn fun_c() {
                print!("fun_c");
            }
            //super::fun_a();     //Will not compile. fun_a() is not in parent module ie module_b.
            super::fun_b();       //fun_b() is in parent module ie module_b its ok!
        }
    }
}

fn main(){
    crate::module_a::module_b::module_c::fun_c();   //Absolute path
    //module_a::module_b::fun();          //Relative path
}

////////Similar to filesystem///////////
crate
    └── module_a
        ├── fun_a
        └── module_b      <-------
            ├── fun_b              |
            └── module_c          super can reach parent (../)
                └── fun_c          |
                └── super ---------        

struct inside module

1. To access structure has to declared public, but still all feilds of struct remains private.
2. To access any field, that feild has to be made public.
3. We need to define a implementation fo access fields in module_a::st since there is a private member.
4. Then we can access members using dotted notation.

mod module_a {
    pub struct st{           //1
        pub a:u32,          //2
        b:u16,              //This remains pvt
    }

    impl test {                         //3
        pub fn fun(x: u32) -> st {
            st {
                a: x,
                b: 10,
            }
        }//fun
    }//test
}//module_a

pub fn fun1 {
    let mut var = crate::test::fun(30);         //4
    println!("{}", var.st.a);               //30
    println!("{}", var.st.b);               //10
}        

enum inside module

Unlike structure in module, if enum is public all its variants are also public. We need to explicitly make every enum variant as public as in struct

mod module_a {
    pub enum color {
        red,          //all enum variants are public if enum is public
        yellow,
    }
}

pub fn fun() {
    let var = module_a::color::red;
}        

use keyword

Similar to type alias/using keyword in c++, use is used to bring Paths into Scope.

mod module_a {
    pub mod module_b {
        pub fn fun() {}
    }
}

use crate::module_a::module_b;

pub fn fun1() {
    module_b::fun();                        //Now module_b becomes a valid Name(as defined in crate scope)
}        

use as

Defining shorter name for path.

use std::fmt::Result as FmtResult;
use std::io::Result as IoResult;

fn function1() -> FmtResult {
    // --snip--
}

fn function2() -> IoResult<()> {
    // --snip--
}        

pub use / Reexporting

After bringing a name into scope with the use keyword, the name available in the new scope is private, To use it we combine pub and use. This technique is called re-exporting because we’re bringing an item into scope but also making that item available for others to bring into their scope.

mod module_a {
    pub mod module_b {
        pub fn fun() {}
    }
}

pub use crate::module_a::module_b;

pub fn fun2() {
    module_b::fun();
}        

Conclusion

Modules provide a very easy way to seperate the code into meaning chunks, each interating with each other or independent.