Learn Sorbet in Y minutes
A whirlwind tour of statically-typed Ruby
Published on
We've been increasing our adoption of Sorbet at Gusto! As I've been trying to type more and more complex bits of Ruby, I've found it helpful to have a single page of examples that I can search through easily.
I like learning new programming languages with Learn X in Y minutes, so I tried to make this digestible in the same way.
If you use this, let me know what you think!
I'm open to improving this to work for more people, and I'm also interested in learning what your value of Y
is.
Updates:
- 2020-12-12: Added examples for
T::Enum
methods - 2022-04-06: The Generics examples have gone stale, but I don't write enough Ruby these days to fix them.
- 2024-01-30: Merged into Learn X in Y minutes! 🎉 If you have improvements, please contribute them there!
The easiest way to see this in action is on sorbet.run. Here's a link for each section below:
- BasicSigs
- Debugging
- Standard Library
- Combinators
- DataClasses
- FlowSensitivity
- InheritancePatterns
- EscapeHatches
- Experimental
If you don't like reading large code samples on blogs (same, really), here's the file: learn_sorbet_in_y_minutes.rb .
# Every file should have a "typed sigil" that tells Sorbet how strict to be
# during static type checking.
#
# Strictness levels (lax to strict):
#
# ignore: Sorbet won't even read the file. This means its contents are not
# visible during type checking. Avoid this.
#
# false: Sorbet will only report errors related to constant resolution. This
# is the default if no sigil is included.
#
# true: Sorbet will report all static type errors. This is the sweet spot of
# safety for effort.
#
# strict: Sorbet will require that all methods, constants, and instance
# variables have static types.
#
# strong: Sorbet will no longer allow anything to be T.untyped, even
# explicitly. Almost nothing satisfies this.
# typed: true
# Include the runtime type-checking library. This lets you write inline sigs
# and have them checked at runtime (instead of running Sorbet as RBI-only).
# These runtime checks happen even for files with `ignore` or `false` sigils.
# Bring in the type definition helpers. You'll almost always need this.
extend T::Sig
# Sigs are defined with `sig` and a block. Define the return value type with
# `returns`.
#
# This method returns a value whose class is `String`. These are the most
# common types, and Sorbet calls them "class types".
sig { returns(String) }
end
# Define parameter value types with `params`.
sig { params(n: Integer).returns(String) }
(1..n).map { greet }.join()
end
# Define keyword parameters the same way.
sig { params(n: Integer, sep: String).returns(String) }
(1..n).map { greet }.join(sep)
end
# Notice that positional/keyword and required/optional make no difference
# here. They're all defined the same way in `params`.
# For lots of parameters, it's nicer to use do..end and a multiline block
# instead of curly braces.
sig do
params(
str: String,
num: Integer,
sym: Symbol,
).returns(String)
end
end
# For a method whose return value is useless, use `void`.
sig { params(name: String).void }
puts
end
# Splats! Also known as "rest parameters", "*args", "**kwargs", and others.
#
# Type the value that a _member_ of `args` or `kwargs` will have, not `args`
# or `kwargs` itself.
sig { params(args: Integer, kwargs: String).void }
if kwargs[:op] ==
args.each { puts(i - 1) }
else
args.each { puts(i + 1) }
end
end
# Most initializers should be `void`.
sig { params(name: String).void }
# Instance variables must have annotated types to participate in static
# type checking.
# The value in `T.let` is checked statically and at runtime.
@upname = T.let(name.upcase, String)
# Sorbet can infer this one!
@name = name
end
# Constants also need annotated types.
= T.let(, String)
# Class variables too.
@@the_answer = T.let(42, Integer)
# Sorbet knows about the `attr_*` family.
sig { returns(String) }
attr_reader :upname
sig { params(write_only: Integer).returns(Integer) }
attr_writer :write_only
# You say the reader part and Sorbet will say the writer part.
sig { returns(String) }
attr_accessor :name
end
extend T::Sig
# Sometimes it's helpful to know what type Sorbet has inferred for an
# expression. Use `T.reveal_type` to make type-checking show a special error
# with that information.
#
# This is most useful if you have Sorbet integrated into your editor so you
# can see the result as soon as you save the file.
sig { params(obj: Object).returns(String) }
T.reveal_type(obj) # Revealed type: Object
repr = obj.inspect
# Reminder that Ruby methods can be called without arguments, so you can
# save a couple characters!
T.reveal_type repr # Revealed type: String
+ repr
end
end
extend T::Sig
# Sorbet provides some helpers for typing the Ruby standard library.
# Use T::Boolean to catch both `true` and `false`.
#
# For the curious, this is equivalent to
# T.type_alias { T.any(TrueClass, FalseClass) }
sig { params(str: String).returns(T::Boolean) }
str ==
end
# Reminder that the value `nil` is an instance of NilClass.
sig { params(val: NilClass).void }
; end
# To avoid modifying standard library classes, Sorbet provides wrappers to
# support common generics.
#
# Here's the full list:
# * T::Array
# * T::Enumerable
# * T::Enumerator
# * T::Hash
# * T::Range
# * T::Set
sig { params(config: T::Hash[Symbol, String]).returns(T::Array[String]) }
keyset = [:old_key, :new_key]
config.each_pair.flat_map do
keyset.include?(key) ? value :
end
end
# Sometimes (usually dependency injection), a method will accept a reference
# to a class rather than an instance of the class. Use `T.class_of(Dep)` to
# accept the `Dep` class itself (or something that inherits from it).
; end
sig { params(dep: T.class_of(Dep)).returns(Dep) }
dep.new
end
# Blocks, procs, and lambdas, oh my! All of these are typed with `T.proc`.
#
# Limitations:
# 1. All parameters are assumed to be required positional parameters.
# 2. The only runtime check is that the value is a `Proc`. The argument
# types are only checked statically.
sig do
params(
data: T::Array[String],
blk: T.proc.params(val: String).returns(Integer),
).returns(Integer)
end
data.sum(&blk)
end
sig { returns(Integer) }
count([, , ]) { word.length + 1 }
end
# If the method takes an implicit block, Sorbet will infer `T.untyped` for
# it. Use the explicit block syntax if the types are important.
sig { params(str: String).returns(T.untyped) }
yield(str)
end
# If you're writing a DSL and will execute the block in a different context,
# use `bind`.
sig { params(num: Integer, blk: T.proc.bind(Integer).void).void }
num.instance_eval(&blk)
end
sig { params(num: Integer).void }
number_fun(10) { puts digits.join }
end
# If the block doesn't take any parameters, don't include `params`.
sig { params(blk: T.proc.returns(Integer)).returns(Integer) }
2 * blk.call
end
end
extend T::Sig
# These methods let you define new types from existing types.
# Use `T.any` when you have a value that can be one of many types. These are
# sometimes known as "union types" or "sum types".
sig { params(num: T.any(Integer, Float)).returns(Rational) }
num.rationalize
end
# `T.nilable(Type)` is a convenient alias for `T.any(Type, NilClass)`.
sig { params(val: T.nilable(String)).returns(Integer) }
val.nil? ? -1 : val.length
end
# Use `T.all` when you have a value that must satisfy multiple types. These
# are sometimes known as "intersection types". They're most useful for
# interfaces (described later), but can also describe helper modules.
extend T::Sig
sig { void }
# Pretend this is actually implemented
end
end
extend T::Sig
sig { void }
# Pretend this is actually implemented
end
end
include Reversible
include Sortable
end
sig { params(list: T.all(Reversible, Sortable)).void }
# reverse from Reversible
list.reverse
# sort from Sortable
list.sort
end
rev_sort(List.new)
end
# Sometimes, actually spelling out the type every time becomes more confusing
# than helpful. Use type aliases to make them easier to work with.
= T.type_alias { T.any(Float, String, T::Boolean, NilClass) }
sig { params(val: JSONLiteral).returns(String) }
val.to_s
end
end
extend T::Sig
# Use `T::Struct` to create a new class with type-checked fields. It
# combines the best parts of the standard Struct and OpenStruct, and then
# adds static typing on top.
#
# Types constructed this way are sometimes known as "product types".
# Use `prop` to define a field with both a reader and writer.
prop :count, Integer
# Use `const` to only define the reader and skip the writer.
const :pattern, Regexp
# You can still set a default value with `default`.
const :message, String, default:
# This is otherwise a normal class, so you can still define methods.
# You'll still need to bring `sig` in if you want to use it though.
extend T::Sig
sig { void }
self.count = 0
end
end
sig { params(text: String, matchers: T::Array[Matcher]).void }
matchers.each(&:reset)
text.lines.each do
matchers.each do
if matcher.pattern =~ line
Kernel.puts matcher.message
matcher.count += 1
end
end
end
end
# Gotchas and limitations
# 1. `const` fields are not truly immutable. They don't have a writer
# method, but may be changed in other ways.
const :list, T::Array[Integer]
end
sig { params(change_me: ChangeMe).returns(T::Boolean) }
change_me = ChangeMe.new(list: [1, 2, 3, 4])
change_me.list.reverse!
change_me.list == [4, 3, 2, 1]
end
# 2. `T::Struct` inherits its equality method from `BasicObject`, which uses
# identity equality (also known as "reference equality").
const :row, Integer
const :col, Integer
end
sig { returns(T::Boolean) }
p1 = Coordinate.new(row: 1, col: 2)
p2 = Coordinate.new(row: 1, col: 2)
p1 != p2
end
# Define your own `#==` method to check the fields, if that's what you want.
extend T::Sig
const :x, Integer
const :y, Integer
sig { params(other: Object).returns(T::Boolean) }
# There's a real implementation here:
# https://github.com/tricycle/sorbet-struct-comparable
true
end
end
# Use `T::Enum` to define a fixed set of values that are easy to reference.
# This is especially useful when you don't care what the values _are_ as much
# as you care that the set of possibilities is closed and static.
extend T::Sig
# Start initialization with `enum`.
enums do
# Define each member with `new`. Each of these is an instance of the
# `Crayon` class.
= new
= new
= new
= new
= new
= new
= new
= new
# The default value of the enum is its name in all-lowercase. To change
# that, pass a value to `new`.
= new()
end
sig { returns(String) }
case self
when Red then
when Green then
# ...
else
end
end
end
sig { params(crayon: Crayon, path: T::Array[Position]).void }
path.each do
Kernel.puts + crayon.to_hex
end
end
# To get all the values in the enum, use `.values`. For convenience there's
# already a `#serialize` to get the enum string value.
sig { returns(T::Array[String]) }
Crayon.values.map(&:serialize)
end
# Use the "deserialize" family to go from string to enum value.
sig { params(name: String).returns(T.nilable(Crayon)) }
if Crayon.has_serialized?(name)
# If the value is not found, this will raise a `KeyError`.
Crayon.deserialize(name)
end
# If the value is not found, this will return `nil`.
Crayon.try_deserialize(name)
end
end
extend T::Sig
# Sorbet understands Ruby's control flow constructs and uses that information
# to get more accurate types when your code branches.
# You'll see this most often when doing nil checks.
sig { params(name: T.nilable(String)).returns(String) }
if name.nil?
else
# Sorbet knows that `name` must be a String here, so it's safe to call
# `#upcase`.
end
end
# The nils are a special case of refining `T.any`.
sig { params(id: T.any(Integer, T::Array[Integer])).returns(T::Array[String]) }
if id.is_a?(Integer)
# `ids` must be an Integer here.
[id.to_s]
else
# `ids` must be a T::Array[Integer] here.
id.map(&:to_s)
end
end
# Sorbet recognizes these methods that narrow type definitions:
# * is_a?
# * kind_of?
# * nil?
# * Class#===
# * Class#<
# * block_given?
#
# Because they're so common, it also recognizes these Rails extensions:
# * blank?
# * present?
#
# Be careful to maintain Sorbet assumptions if you redefine these methods!
# Have you've ever written this line of code?
#
# raise StandardError, "Can't happen"
#
# Sorbet can help you prove that statically (this is known as
# "exhaustiveness") with `T.absurd`. It's extra cool when combined with
# `T::Enum`!
extend T::Sig
enums do
= new()
= new()
= new()
# "640K ought to be enough for anybody"
end
sig { returns(Integer) }
case self
when Byte then 1 << 0
when Kibibyte then 1 << 10
when Mebibyte then 1 << 20
else
# Sorbet knows you've checked all the cases, so there's no possible
# value that `self` could have here.
#
# But if you _do_ get here somehow, this will raise at runtime.
T.absurd(self)
# If you're missing a case, Sorbet can even tell you which one it is!
end
end
end
# We're gonna need `puts` and `raise` for this next part.
include Kernel
# Sorbet knows that no code can execute after a `raise` statement because it
# "never returns".
sig { params(num: T.nilable(Integer)).returns(Integer) }
raise ArgumentError, unless num
num - 1
end
# You can annotate your own error-raising methods with `T.noreturn`.
; end
sig { params(message: String).returns(T.noreturn) }
puts message
raise CustomError, message
end
# It also applies to infinite loops.
sig { returns(T.noreturn) }
loop do
.each_char do
print
sleep 1
end
end
end
# You may run into a situation where Sorbet "loses" your type refinement.
# Remember that almost everything you do in Ruby is a method call that could
# return a different value next time you call it. Sorbet doesn't assume that
# any methods are pure (even those from `attr_reader` and `attr_accessor`).
sig { returns(T.nilable(Integer)) }
rand > 0.5 ? 42 : nil
end
sig { void }
if answer.nil?
0
else
# But answer might return `nil` if we call it again!
answer + 1
# ^ Method + does not exist on NilClass component of T.nilable(Integer)
end
end
sig { void }
ans = answer
if ans.nil?
0
else
# This time, Sorbet knows that `ans` is non-nil.
ans + 1
end
end
end
extend T::Sig
# If you have a method that always returns the type of its receiver, use
# `T.self_type`. This is common in fluent interfaces and DSLs.
#
# Warning: This feature is still experimental!
extend T::Sig
sig { returns(T.self_type) }
pp self
self
end
end
extend T::Sig
sig { params(x: Integer, y: String).void }
@x = x
@y = y
end
# You don't _have_ to use `T.self_type` if there's only one relevant class.
sig { params(x: Integer).returns(Data) }
@x = x
self
end
sig { params(y: String).returns(Data) }
@y = y
self
end
end
# Tada!
sig { params(data: Data).void }
data.setX(1).log.setY()
end
# If it's a class method (a.k.a. singleton method), use `T.attached_class`.
# No warning here. This one is stable!
extend T::Sig
sig { params(contents: String, weight: Integer).void }
@contents = contents
@weight = weight
end
sig { params(contents: String).returns(T.attached_class) }
new(contents, contents.chars.uniq.length)
end
end
extend T::Sig
sig { returns(String) }
end
end
sig { returns(String) }
CompanionCube.pack().pick_up
end
# Sorbet has support for abstract classes and interfaces. It can check that
# all the concrete classes and implementations actually define the required
# methods with compatible signatures.
# Here's an abstract class:
extend T::Sig
# Bring in the inheritance helpers.
extend T::Helpers
# Mark this class as abstract. This means it cannot be instantiated with
# `.new`, but it can still be subclassed.
abstract!
sig { params(args: T::Array[String]).void }
pre_hook
execute(args)
post_hook
end
# This is an abstract method, which means it _must_ be implemented by
# subclasses. Add a signature with `abstract` to an empty method to tell
# Sorbet about it.
#
# If this implementation of the method actually gets called at runtime, it
# will raise `NotImplementedError`.
sig { abstract.params(args: T::Array[String]).void }
; end
# These methods _can_ be implemented by subclasses, but they're optional.
sig { void }
; end
sig { void }
; end
end
extend T::Sig
sig { void }
puts
end
# To implement an abstract method, mark the signature with `override`.
sig { override.params(args: T::Array[String]).void }
# ...
end
end
# And here's an interface:
extend T::Sig
# Bring in the inheritance helpers.
extend T::Helpers
# Mark this module as an interface. This adds the following restrictions:
# 1. All of its methods must be abstract.
# 2. It cannot have any private or protected methods.
interface!
sig { abstract.params(num: Integer).void }
; end
sig { abstract.returns(T.nilable(Integer)) }
; end
end
extend T::Sig
# Include the interface to tell Sorbet that this class implements it.
# Sorbet doesn't support implicitly implemented interfaces (also known as
# "duck typing").
include Queue
sig { void }
@items = T.let([], T::Array[Integer])
end
# Implement the Queue interface's abstract methods. Remember to use
# `override`!
sig { override.params(num: Integer).void }
@items << num
@items.sort!
end
sig { override.returns(T.nilable(Integer)) }
@items.shift
end
end
# If you use the `included` hook to get class methods from your modules,
# you'll have to use `mixes_in_class_methods` to get them to type-check.
extend T::Helpers
interface!
extend T::Sig
sig { void }
end
end
mixes_in_class_methods(ClassMethods)
end
include Mixin
end
EggBeater.whisk # Meringue!
end
extend T::Sig
# Ruby is a very dynamic language, and sometimes Sorbet can't infer the
# properties you already know to be true. Although there are ways to rewrite
# your code so Sorbet can prove safety, you can also choose to "break out" of
# Sorbet using these "escape hatches".
# Once you start using `T.nilable`, Sorbet will start telling you _all_ the
# places you're not handling nils. Sometimes, you know a value can't be nil,
# but it's not practical to fix the sigs so Sorbet can prove it. In that
# case, you can use `T.must`.
sig { params(maybe_str: T.nilable(String)).returns(String) }
# If maybe_str _is_ actually nil, this will error at runtime.
str = T.must(maybe_str)
str.downcase
end
# More generally, if you know that a value must be a specific type, you can
# use `T.cast`.
sig do
params(
str_or_ary: T.any(String, T::Array[String]),
idx_or_range: T.any(Integer, T::Range[Integer]),
).returns(T::Array[String])
end
# Let's say that, for some reason, we want individual characters from
# strings or sub-arrays from arrays. The other options are not allowed.
if str_or_ary.is_a?(String)
# Here, we know that `idx_or_range` must be a single index. If it's not,
# this will error at runtime.
idx = T.cast(idx_or_range, Integer)
[str_or_ary.chars.fetch(idx)]
else
# Here, we know that `idx_or_range` must be a range. If it's not, this
# will error at runtime.
range = T.cast(idx_or_range, T::Range[Integer])
str_or_ary.slice(range) || []
end
end
# If you know that a method exists, but Sorbet doesn't, you can use
# `T.unsafe` so Sorbet will let you call it. Although we tend to think of
# this as being an "unsafe method call", `T.unsafe` is called on the receiver
# rather than the whole expression.
sig { params(count: Integer).returns(Date) }
# Let's say you've defined some extra date helpers that Sorbet can't find.
# So `2.decades` is effectively `(2*10).years` from ActiveSupport.
Date.today + T.unsafe(count).decades
end
# If this is a method on the implicit `self`, you'll have to make that
# explicit to use `T.unsafe`.
sig { params(count: Integer).returns(Date) }
# Let's say that metaprogramming defines a `now` helper method for
# `Time.new`. Using it would look like this:
#
# now - 1234
T.unsafe(self).now - 1234
end
# There's a special type in Sorbet called `T.untyped`. For any value of this
# type, Sorbet will allow it to be used for any method argument and receive
# any method call.
sig { params(num: Integer, anything: T.untyped).returns(T.untyped) }
anything.digits # Is it an Integer...
anything.upcase # ... or a String?
# Sorbet will not be able to infer anything about this return value because
# it's untyped.
BasicObject.new
end
# It's actually nil! This will crash at runtime, but Sorbet allows it.
nothing_to_see_here(1, nil)
end
# For a method without a sig, Sorbet infers the type of each argument and the
# return value to be `T.untyped`.
end
# The following types are not officially documented but are still useful. They
# may be experimental, deprecated, or not officially unsupported.
extend T::Sig
# A common pattern in Ruby is to have a method accept one value from a set of
# options. Especially when starting out with Sorbet, it may not be practical
# to refactor the code to use `T::Enum`. In this case, you can use `T.enum`.
#
# Note: Sorbet can't check this statically becuase it doesn't track the
# values themselves.
sig do
params(
data: T::Array[Numeric],
shape: T.enum([:circle, :square, :triangle])
).void
end
data.each_with_index do
Kernel.puts
end
end
end
extend T::Sig
# Generics are useful when you have a class whose method types change based
# on the data it contains or a method whose method type changes based on what
# its arguments are.
# A generic method uses `type_parameters` to declare type variables and
# `T.type_parameter` to refer back to them.
sig do
type_parameters(:element)
.params(
element: T.type_parameter(:element),
count: Integer,
).returns(T::Array[T.type_parameter(:element)])
end
count.times.each_with_object([]) do
ary << elt
end
end
sig do
type_parameters(:element)
.params(
count: Integer,
block: T.proc.returns(T.type_parameter(:element)),
).returns(T::Array[T.type_parameter(:element)])
end
elt = block.call
ary = []
count.times do
ary << elt
end
ary
end
# A generic class uses `T::Generic.type_member` to define type variables that
# can be like regular type names.
extend T::Sig
extend T::Generic
= type_member
= type_member
sig { void }
@left_hash = T.let({}, T::Hash[Left, Right])
@right_hash = T.let({}, T::Hash[Right, Left])
end
# Implement just enough to make the methods below work.
sig { params(lkey: Left).returns(T::Boolean) }
@left_hash.has_key?(lkey)
end
sig { params(rkey: Right).returns(T.nilable(Left)) }
@right_hash[rkey]
end
end
# To specialize a generic type, use brackets.
sig do
params(
options: BidirectionalHash[Symbol, Integer],
choice: T.any(Symbol, Integer),
).returns(T.nilable(String))
end
case choice
when Symbol
options.lhas?(choice) ? choice.to_s : nil
when Integer
options.rget(choice).to_s
else
T.absurd(choice)
end
end
# To specialize through inheritance, re-declare the `type_member` with `fixed`.
= type_member(fixed: Symbol)
= type_member(fixed: Integer)
end
sig do
params(
options: Options,
choice: T.any(Symbol, Integer),
).returns(T.nilable(String))
end
lookup(options, choice)
end
# There are other variance annotations you can add to `type_member`, but
# they're rarely used.
end