What is the difference between these method type signatures (i:T):T and T=>T in Scala?

Question

In the example below, why do these methods have a different type and how do their types differ?

Int => Int //is a shortcut for 
Function1[Int, Int].

But why does a method has a different type and what is the difference between (i: Int): Int and Int => Int? Can a function have a similar type like in the first example?

scala> :t def double(i: Int): Int = i * 2
(i: Int): Int

scala> :t def double: Int => Int = i => i * 2
 Int => Int

scala> val double2 : Int => Int = i => i * 2
val double2: Int => Int = $Lambda$1197/0x00000008010c8400@54398386

scala> :t double2
Int => Int

This looks closely related: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2529184/difference-between-method-and-function-in-scala — Andrey Tyukin, Jul 31 '22 at 11:07
(Despite proposing the link, I'm hesitating to dupe-hammer the question, because some of the answers in the linked thread seem not entirely up to date) — Andrey Tyukin, Jul 31 '22 at 11:23
Technically speaking the whole `(i: T): T` thing the REPL shows is just false, methods are not values as such can't have types. — Luis Miguel Mejía Suárez, Jul 31 '22 at 13:14

Alin Gabriel Arhip · Accepted Answer · 2022-12-06T15:43:21.913

In short, Int => Int is just a syntactic sugar for Function1[Int, Int].

A method has a different signature because a method in Scala is just a method in a class just like a Java method. This can have a signature like the one you mentioned: (i: Int): Int.

On the other hand, Int => Int is called a function type. The main difference is a function type is an object by itself of type Function1[Int, Int]. And since an object is a value, a function is also a value.

Now val functions are concrete instances of Function0 through Function22 and can be composed using andThen, compose, and toString. When you create it like an anonymous function (with no name), the compiler creates an anonymous Function1 instance with an overridden toString method. That is why you see it differently in the REPL.

What is the difference between these method type signatures (i:T):T and T=>T in Scala?

1 Answers1