1.
Type checking in Ruby
A brief review of modern
type-checking tools

2.
Situation with type checking

3.
Situation with type checking
● Type checkers
○ Sorbet
○ Steep
○ RBS tests
● Type signatures
○ Sorbet RBI
○ RBS
● Type signatures generators
○ Sorbet
○ RBS prototype
○ Typeprof

4.
RBS toolset

5.
RBS commands
● ast - prints JSON representation of AST of loaded environment
● list - lists classes, modules and signatures in type system
● ancestors - shows ancestors of given class or module
● methods - shows methods defined in given class or module
● method - shows type signature and information about given method
● validate - validates RBS files
● constant - resolves constant based on RBS
● paths - list of included paths of type signatures
● prototype - generates prototypes of RBS signatures
● vendor - vendors signatures inside project directory
● parse - parses given signature files and outputs errors
● test - to observe tests to ensure signatures are correct

6.
class Calculator
attr_reader :arg1, :arg2
def initialize(arg1, arg2)
@arg1 = arg1
@arg2 = arg2
end
def add; arg1 + arg2; end
def mul; arg1 * arg2; end
def div; arg1 / arg2; end
def sub; arg1 / arg2; end
def call(method_name)
case method_name
when :add then add
when :mul then mul
when :div then div
when :sub then sub
end
end
end
First signature.RB try
class Calculator
attr_reader arg1: untyped
attr_reader arg2: untyped
def initialize: (untyped arg1, untyped arg2) ->
untyped
def add: () -> untyped
def mul: () -> untyped
def div: () -> untyped
def sub: () -> untyped
def call: (untyped method_name) -> untyped
end

7.
class Calculator
attr_reader :arg1, :arg2
def initialize(arg1, arg2)
@arg1 = arg1
@arg2 = arg2
end
def add; arg1 + arg2; end
def mul; arg1 * arg2; end
def div; arg1 / arg2; end
def sub; arg1 / arg2; end
def call(method_name)
case method_name
when :add then add
when :mul then mul
when :div then div
when :sub then sub
end
end
end
First signature.Runtime try
class Calculator
public
def add: () -> untyped
def arg1: () -> untyped
def arg2: () -> untyped
def call: (untyped method_name) -> untyped
def div: () -> untyped
def mul: () -> untyped
def sub: () -> untyped
private
def initialize: (untyped arg1, untyped arg2) ->
untyped
end

8.
# typed: true
class Test
extend T::Sig
sig {params(x: Integer).void}
def foo(x)
puts(x + 1)
end
end
Migration from Sorbet signatures
class Test
def foo: (Integer x) -> void
end

9.
VariadicUntypedFunction = T.type_alias { Proc }
AssociationCallback = T.type_alias do
T.nilable(
T.any(
Symbol,
String,
T.proc.void,
Proc,
T::Array[T.any(Symbol, Proc, T.proc.void)]
)
)
end
Migration from Sorbet signatures,complex example
# converted example
VariadicUntypedFunction: untyped
AssociationCallback: untyped
# real conversion
type variadic_untyped_function = Proc
type association_callback = (Symbol | String | void |
Proc | Array[(Symbol | Proc | void)])?

10.
class Calculator
attr_reader :arg1, :arg2
def initialize(arg1, arg2)
@arg1 = arg1
@arg2 = arg2
end
def add; arg1 + arg2; end
def mul; arg1 * arg2; end
def div; arg1 / arg2; end
def sub; arg1 / arg2; end
def call(method_name)
case method_name
when :add then add
when :mul then mul
when :div then div
when :sub then sub
end
end
end
First signature.Merged example
class Calculator
public
type result = Integer | Float
attr_reader arg1: result
attr_reader arg2: result
def add: () -> result
def mul: () -> result
def div: () -> result
def sub: () -> result
def call: (Symbol method_name) -> result
private
def initialize: (result arg1, result arg2) -> result
end

11.
Typeprof
Typeprof is a custom-built interpreter which creates type signatures based
on abstract execution. Non-reachable methods produce untyped stubs.
Specifics:
● Needs entry point
● Meta-programming is only partially supported
● Doesn’t handle metaclasses
● Supports only Array and Hash container types

12.
Deeper look on container types
class Stub
def initialize
@x = ["Container"]
@y = { order: 1, value: "Some value" }
end
def foo
@x
end
def bar
@y
end
end
p Stub.new.foo
p Stub.new.bar
# Revealed types
# test_4.rb:16 #=> [String]
# test_4.rb:17 #=> {order: Integer, value: String}
# Classes
class Stub
@x: [String]
@y: {order: Integer, value: String}
def initialize: -> {order: Integer, value: String}
def foo: -> [String]
def bar: -> {order: Integer, value: String}
end
# The maximum depth of nested arrays and hashes is
limited to 5.

13.
Try it online!
https://mame.github.io/typeprof-playground

14.
How to build your signatures
● Generate stubs with rbs prototype rb file_name.rb
● Execute typeprof with some Kernel#p calls to reveal types
● Run prototyping by rbs prototype runtime
● Add missing, correct signatures

15.
Type checking

16.
Steps to work with steep
● steep init to generate Steepfile
● steep check to perform typechecks
● steep stats to show type stats
target :lib do
signature "sig"
check "lib" # Directory name
check "Gemfile" # File name
# ignore "lib/templates/*.rb"
# library "pathname", "set" # Standard
libraries
# library "strong_json" # Gems
end
target :spec do
signature "sig", "sig-private"
check "spec"
# library "pathname", "set" # Standaard
libraries
# library "rspec"
end

17.
Steps to work with steep
● steep init to generate Steepfile
● steep check to perform typechecks
● steep stats to show type stats
target :lib do
signature "sig"
check "lib" # Directory name
check "Gemfile" # File name
# ignore "lib/templates/*.rb"
# library "pathname", "set" # Standard
libraries
# library "strong_json" # Gems
end
target :spec do
signature "sig", "sig-private"
check "spec"
# library "pathname", "set" # Standaard
libraries
# library "rspec"
end

18.
Can I use it on production?
● Well, you can. It promises a lot of fun
● Lack of proper metaprogramming support
● A lot of signatures generation tools, no perfect
● Demands explicitness
● Dislikes splats
● Use it on your own risk

19.
thanks!
Any questions?