Method Syntax in Rust

Methods add behavior to your data types, similar to how JavaScript classes combine data and functions. However, Rust’s approach is distinct and requires understanding some key concepts.

Methods vs Functions

In JavaScript, methods are simply functions that are properties of objects:

// Function
function greet(person) {
  return `Hello, ${person}!`;
}

// Method (function attached to an object)
const user = {
  name: "Alice",
  greet() {
    return `Hello, I'm ${this.name}!`;
  }
};

console.log(greet("Bob"));     // "Hello, Bob!"
console.log(user.greet());     // "Hello, I'm Alice!"

In Rust, methods are functions associated with a particular type:

struct User {
    name: String,
}

// Regular function
fn greet(person: &str) -> String {
    format!("Hello, {}!", person)
}

// Method defined on User type
impl User {
    fn greet(&self) -> String {
        format!("Hello, I'm {}!", self.name)
    }
}

fn main() {
    let user = User {
        name: String::from("Alice"),
    };
    
    println!("{}", greet("Bob"));     // "Hello, Bob!"
    println!("{}", user.greet());     // "Hello, I'm Alice!"
}

The key differences:

• Rust uses impl blocks to associate methods with types
• Methods in Rust take an explicit self parameter
• JavaScript methods implicitly have access to this

Defining Methods with impl

The impl (implementation) block is where we define methods for a type:

struct Rectangle {
    width: u32,
    height: u32,
}

impl Rectangle {
    // Methods go here
    fn area(&self) -> u32 {
        self.width * self.height
    }
    
    fn perimeter(&self) -> u32 {
        2 * (self.width + self.height)
    }
}

This is different from JavaScript, where methods are typically defined directly within the class definition:

class Rectangle {
  constructor(width, height) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
  }
  
  area() {
    return this.width * this.height;
  }
  
  perimeter() {
    return 2 * (this.width + this.height);
  }
}

Self Parameter: The First Method Parameter

In JavaScript, methods implicitly have access to this, which refers to the object the method was called on:

const user = {
  name: "Alice",
  greet() {
    // 'this' is implicitly available
    return `Hello, I'm ${this.name}!`;
  }
};

In Rust, methods explicitly take a parameter that represents the instance:

impl User {
    fn greet(&self) -> String {
        // 'self' is explicitly received as a parameter
        format!("Hello, I'm {}!", self.name)
    }
}

There are three main ways to use self in Rust methods:

1. &self: Borrow the instance immutably (read-only)
2. &mut self: Borrow the instance mutably (can modify)
3. self: Take ownership of the instance (rare)

Let’s see all three in action:

struct Counter {
    count: u32,
}

impl Counter {
    // Immutable borrow - just reads the data
    fn get_count(&self) -> u32 {
        self.count
    }
    
    // Mutable borrow - modifies the data
    fn increment(&mut self) {
        self.count += 1;
    }
    
    // Takes ownership - consumes the instance
    fn reset(self) -> Counter {
        Counter { count: 0 }
    }
}

The JavaScript equivalent would be:

class Counter {
  constructor(count) {
    this.count = count;
  }
  
  getCount() {
    return this.count;
  }
  
  increment() {
    this.count += 1;
  }
  
  reset() {
    // In JavaScript, we can't truly consume an object
    // So we just modify it
    this.count = 0;
    return this;
  }
}

Understanding &self vs &mut self vs self

This is a critical difference from JavaScript:

1. &self is like const this - you can read but not modify
2. &mut self is like a normal this - you can both read and modify
3. self has no JavaScript equivalent - it takes ownership and consumes the object

Most methods use &self or &mut self, depending on whether they need to modify the instance.

Method Parameters

Just like JavaScript, Rust methods can take additional parameters after self:

class Rectangle {
  constructor(width, height) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
  }
  
  scale(factor) {
    this.width *= factor;
    this.height *= factor;
  }
  
  canContain(other) {
    return this.width > other.width && this.height > other.height;
  }
}

Rust equivalent:

impl Rectangle {
    fn scale(&mut self, factor: u32) {
        self.width *= factor;
        self.height *= factor;
    }
    
    fn can_contain(&self, other: &Rectangle) -> bool {
        self.width > other.width && self.height > other.height
    }
}

Notice that in Rust we have to:

1. Specify the types of all parameters
2. Use reference types (&Rectangle) for parameters that we don’t want to take ownership of

Method Chaining

JavaScript allows method chaining by returning this:

class StringBuilder {
  constructor() {
    this.content = "";
  }
  
  append(text) {
    this.content += text;
    return this;  // Return this for chaining
  }
  
  appendLine(text) {
    this.content += text + "\n";
    return this;  // Return this for chaining
  }
  
  toString() {
    return this.content;
  }
}

const message = new StringBuilder()
  .append("Hello, ")
  .append("world")
  .appendLine("!")
  .append("How are you?")
  .toString();

Rust allows similar chaining by returning &mut self (a mutable reference to self):

struct StringBuilder {
    content: String,
}

impl StringBuilder {
    fn new() -> StringBuilder {
        StringBuilder {
            content: String::new(),
        }
    }
    
    fn append(&mut self, text: &str) -> &mut Self {
        self.content.push_str(text);
        self  // Return reference to self for chaining
    }
    
    fn append_line(&mut self, text: &str) -> &mut Self {
        self.content.push_str(text);
        self.content.push('\n');
        self  // Return reference to self for chaining
    }
    
    fn to_string(&self) -> &str {
        &self.content
    }
}

fn main() {
    let mut builder = StringBuilder::new();
    let message = builder
        .append("Hello, ")
        .append("world")
        .append_line("!")
        .append("How are you?")
        .to_string();
    
    println!("{}", message);
}

The key difference is that Rust returns a reference (&mut Self), while JavaScript returns the object itself.

Associated Functions (Static Methods)

JavaScript uses static methods that don’t require an instance:

class Rectangle {
  constructor(width, height) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
  }
  
  // Instance method
  area() {
    return this.width * this.height;
  }
  
  // Static method
  static square(size) {
    return new Rectangle(size, size);
  }
}

const square = Rectangle.square(10);

Rust calls these “associated functions” and they don’t take self as a parameter:

impl Rectangle {
    // Regular method (takes &self)
    fn area(&self) -> u32 {
        self.width * self.height
    }
    
    // Associated function (no self parameter)
    fn square(size: u32) -> Rectangle {
        Rectangle {
            width: size,
            height: size,
        }
    }
}

let square = Rectangle::square(10);

Associated functions are often used for constructors in Rust:

impl User {
    // Constructor pattern
    fn new(name: String, email: String) -> User {
        User {
            name,
            email,
            active: true,
        }
    }
}

let user = User::new(String::from("Alice"), String::from("alice@example.com"));

Multiple impl Blocks

Rust allows multiple impl blocks for the same type, which has no direct equivalent in JavaScript:

struct User {
    name: String,
    email: String,
    active: bool,
}

// Basic methods
impl User {
    fn is_active(&self) -> bool {
        self.active
    }
    
    fn deactivate(&mut self) {
        self.active = false;
    }
}

// Constructor methods
impl User {
    fn new(name: String, email: String) -> User {
        User {
            name,
            email,
            active: true,
        }
    }
    
    fn inactive(name: String, email: String) -> User {
        User {
            name,
            email,
            active: false,
        }
    }
}

This is especially helpful for organizing code and when implementing traits.

Getters and Setters

JavaScript uses getter and setter methods/properties:

class Person {
  constructor(firstName, lastName) {
    this._firstName = firstName;
    this._lastName = lastName;
  }
  
  // Getter
  get fullName() {
    return `${this._firstName} ${this._lastName}`;
  }
  
  // Setter
  set fullName(value) {
    const parts = value.split(' ');
    this._firstName = parts[0];
    this._lastName = parts[1] || '';
  }
}

const person = new Person("John", "Doe");
console.log(person.fullName);  // "John Doe"
person.fullName = "Jane Smith";
console.log(person.fullName);  // "Jane Smith"

Rust typically uses explicit methods:

struct Person {
    first_name: String,
    last_name: String,
}

impl Person {
    // Constructor
    fn new(first_name: String, last_name: String) -> Person {
        Person { first_name, last_name }
    }
    
    // Getter
    fn full_name(&self) -> String {
        format!("{} {}", self.first_name, self.last_name)
    }
    
    // Setter
    fn set_full_name(&mut self, full_name: &str) {
        let parts: Vec<&str> = full_name.split(' ').collect();
        self.first_name = parts[0].to_string();
        self.last_name = if parts.len() > 1 { parts[1].to_string() } else { String::new() };
    }
}

fn main() {
    let mut person = Person::new(String::from("John"), String::from("Doe"));
    println!("{}", person.full_name());  // "John Doe"
    
    person.set_full_name("Jane Smith");
    println!("{}", person.full_name());  // "Jane Smith"
}

Private Methods

JavaScript has private methods using the # prefix:

class Counter {
  #count = 0;
  
  #validateIncrement(value) {
    if (value <= 0) {
      throw new Error("Increment must be positive");
    }
  }
  
  increment(value = 1) {
    this.#validateIncrement(value);
    this.#count += value;
    return this.#count;
  }
  
  getCount() {
    return this.#count;
  }
}

Rust handles privacy through modules, where methods are private by default but can be made public with pub:

mod counter_module {
    pub struct Counter {
        count: u32,
    }
    
    impl Counter {
        pub fn new() -> Counter {
            Counter { count: 0 }
        }
        
        // Private method
        fn validate_increment(&self, value: u32) -> Result<(), &'static str> {
            if value == 0 {
                return Err("Increment must be positive");
            }
            Ok(())
        }
        
        pub fn increment(&mut self, value: u32) -> Result<u32, &'static str> {
            self.validate_increment(value)?;
            self.count += value;
            Ok(self.count)
        }
        
        pub fn get_count(&self) -> u32 {
            self.count
        }
    }
}

use counter_module::Counter;

fn main() {
    let mut counter = Counter::new();
    match counter.increment(5) {
        Ok(new_count) => println!("New count: {}", new_count),
        Err(e) => println!("Error: {}", e),
    }
    
    println!("Current count: {}", counter.get_count());
    
    // This would cause an error if uncommented:
    // counter.validate_increment(1); // Error: private method
}

When to Use Methods vs Functions

Here’s a general guide for when to use methods vs plain functions:

Use methods when:

• The function operates on an instance of a specific type
• The operation is intrinsically connected to that type
• The function needs access to the internal state of the type

Use standalone functions when:

• The operation applies to multiple types
• The function doesn’t need direct access to the internal state
• The functionality is truly independent of any specific type

Constructor Patterns

JavaScript has a built-in constructor mechanism:

class User {
  constructor(name, email) {
    this.name = name;
    this.email = email;
    this.active = true;
  }
}

const user = new User("Alice", "alice@example.com");

Rust conventionally uses associated functions named new:

impl User {
    fn new(name: String, email: String) -> User {
        User {
            name,
            email,
            active: true,
        }
    }
}

let user = User::new(String::from("Alice"), String::from("alice@example.com"));

Rust can also have multiple constructor-like functions:

impl Rectangle {
    // General constructor
    fn new(width: u32, height: u32) -> Rectangle {
        Rectangle { width, height }
    }
    
    // Specialized constructor for squares
    fn square(size: u32) -> Rectangle {
        Rectangle { width: size, height: size }
    }
    
    // Constructor with validation
    fn try_new(width: u32, height: u32) -> Option<Rectangle> {
        if width == 0 || height == 0 {
            None
        } else {
            Some(Rectangle { width, height })
        }
    }
}

Summary

Methods in Rust provide a way to associate behavior with data types. While the syntax is different from JavaScript, the conceptual model is similar:

• Rust uses impl blocks to define methods for a type
• Methods take &self, &mut self, or self as their first parameter
• “Associated functions” (static methods) don’t take self
• Method chaining works by returning &mut self
• Rust separates data (struct) from behavior (impl), while JavaScript combines them in classes
• Rust’s ownership and borrowing rules apply to methods, providing safety guarantees

Understanding Rust’s method syntax is a key step to writing idiomatic Rust code that will feel familiar to JavaScript developers while leveraging Rust’s unique features.

Next, we’ll explore enums and pattern matching, which provide powerful ways to represent and work with data in Rust.