Came across the following differences a function implementations. What is the reasoning behind Example 1 returning a pointer and Example 2 returning an actual object?
type MyInterface interface {
Func (param int) float64 //just random signature
}
//MyInterfaceImpl implements MyInterface
type MyInterfaceImpl struct {
}
//actual implementation
func (myObj *MyInterfaceImpl) Func(param int) float64 {
return float64(param)
}
Example 1: the pointer to the MyInterfaceImpl
is returned when function returns an interface
func NewMyInterface() MyInterface {
return &MyInterfaceImpl{}
}
Example 2: actual object of MyInterfaceImpl
is returned when function returns the object
func NewMyInterfaceImpl() MyInterfaceImpl {
return MyInterfaceImpl{}
}
UPDATE: This piece of code compiles and runs
func main() {
myIf := NewMyInterface()
fmt.Printf("Hi from inteface %f
", myIf.Func(1000))
myImpl := NewMyInterfaceImpl()
fmt.Printf("Hi from impl %f
", myImpl.Func(100))
}
UPDATE2: Question clarification.
This sounds weird (for me) to have a declaration of func NewMyInterface() MyInterface
and a valid implementation of return &MyInterfaceImpl{}
where a pointer is returned. I would expect to return an object of MyInterfaceImpl with return MyInterfaceImpl{}
If the language allows such types of constructs, there must be a reason for that. Eventually, I am looking for a following answer: "The function declaration returns an interface. Because the interface has a property X it is does not make sense to return an object, but the only valid option is a pointer".
Even though I'm not sure which part of the code the question is about, let me explain what the code does:
MyInterface
is implemented by anything having a Func(int)float64
method.*MyInterfaceImpl
has such a method. However, MyInterfaceImpl
does not (the method has a pointer receiver).
NewMyInterface()
thus has to return a pointer. MyInterfaceImpl{}
wouldn't implement MyInterface
.
Does this answer your question?
Another question might be why the call myImpl.Func(100)
works, despite the above. This is because Go automatically takes the address of the receiver when calling its methods with pointer receivers.
This is explained in more detail for example here.