Exploring Rust's if let Construct

Introduction

In this lab, we explore the usage of the if let construct in Rust, which allows for cleaner code when matching enums and provides the ability to specify failure options. We also demonstrate how if let can be used to match any enum value, including non-parameterized variants. Additionally, we provide an example of fixing code that attempts to compare two enum values by using if let instead.

Note: If the lab does not specify a file name, you can use any file name you want. For example, you can use main.rs, compile and run it with rustc main.rs && ./main.

if let

For some use cases, when matching enums, match is awkward. For example:

// Make `optional` of type `Option<i32>`
let optional = Some(7);

match optional {
    Some(i) => {
        println!("This is a really long string and `{:?}`", i);
        // ^ Needed 2 indentations just so we could destructure
        // `i` from the option.
    },
    _ => {},
    // ^ Required because `match` is exhaustive. Doesn't it seem
    // like wasted space?
};

if let is cleaner for this use case and in addition allows various failure options to be specified:

fn main() {
    // All have type `Option<i32>`
    let number = Some(7);
    let letter: Option<i32> = None;
    let emoticon: Option<i32> = None;

    // The `if let` construct reads: "if `let` destructures `number` into
    // `Some(i)`, evaluate the block (`{}`).
    if let Some(i) = number {
        println!("Matched {:?}!", i);
    }

    // If you need to specify a failure, use an else:
    if let Some(i) = letter {
        println!("Matched {:?}!", i);
    } else {
        // Destructure failed. Change to the failure case.
        println!("Didn't match a number. Let's go with a letter!");
    }

    // Provide an altered failing condition.
    let i_like_letters = false;

    if let Some(i) = emoticon {
        println!("Matched {:?}!", i);
    // Destructure failed. Evaluate an `else if` condition to see if the
    // alternate failure branch should be taken:
    } else if i_like_letters {
        println!("Didn't match a number. Let's go with a letter!");
    } else {
        // The condition evaluated false. This branch is the default:
        println!("I don't like letters. Let's go with an emoticon :)!");
    }
}

In the same way, if let can be used to match any enum value:

// Our example enum
enum Foo {
    Bar,
    Baz,
    Qux(u32)
}

fn main() {
    // Create example variables
    let a = Foo::Bar;
    let b = Foo::Baz;
    let c = Foo::Qux(100);

    // Variable a matches Foo::Bar
    if let Foo::Bar = a {
        println!("a is foobar");
    }

    // Variable b does not match Foo::Bar
    // So this will print nothing
    if let Foo::Bar = b {
        println!("b is foobar");
    }

    // Variable c matches Foo::Qux which has a value
    // Similar to Some() in the previous example
    if let Foo::Qux(value) = c {
        println!("c is {}", value);
    }

    // Binding also works with `if let`
    if let Foo::Qux(value @ 100) = c {
        println!("c is one hundred");
    }
}

Another benefit is that if let allows us to match non-parameterized enum variants. This is true even in cases where the enum doesn't implement or derive PartialEq. In such cases if Foo::Bar == a would fail to compile, because instances of the enum cannot be equated, however if let will continue to work.

Would you like a challenge? Fix the following example to use if let:

// This enum purposely neither implements nor derives PartialEq.
// That is why comparing Foo::Bar == a fails below.
enum Foo {Bar}

fn main() {
    let a = Foo::Bar;

    // Variable a matches Foo::Bar
    if Foo::Bar == a {
    // ^-- this causes a compile-time error. Use `if let` instead.
        println!("a is foobar");
    }
}

Summary

Congratulations! You have completed the If Let lab. You can practice more labs in LabEx to improve your skills.