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docs: document custom type support throughout project

Update all documentation to reflect that custom types work automatically
with the #[task] macro, requiring only Clone + Send + Sync + 'static.

Documentation updates:
- README: Add custom types to features, new Custom Types section
- CHANGELOG: Document custom type improvement in [Unreleased]
- src/lib.rs: Add custom types example to main API docs
- src/task.rs: Update Task trait docs to mention macro-generated extraction
- src/extract.rs: Clarify ExtractInput is now internal-only (for task_fn)
- dagx-macros: Update macro docs to emphasize automatic type handling

New example:
- examples/custom_types.rs: Simple 120-line example showing User type
  flowing through DAG with fan-out pattern (one output → two consumers)
  demonstrating Arc wrapping is automatic and transparent

This makes the custom type capability discoverable and prominent for users,
turning a previous limitation into a headline feature.

2025-10-10 17:22:59 -06:00

4.8 KiB

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Documentation Update Summary - Custom Type Support

Context

Fixed a significant issue where dagx only worked with types that had ExtractInput trait implementations (primitives, String, Vec, HashMap, etc.). Custom user types didn't work.

The Fix: The #[task] macro now generates inline extract_and_run() methods with type-specific extraction logic. This means ANY type implementing Clone + Send + Sync + 'static works automatically - no trait implementations required!

Files Updated

1. README.md

Features section: Added "Works with ANY type" as a key feature (line 117)
Core Concepts: Added new "Custom Types" section with example (lines 190-218)
Examples: Added custom_types.rs to advanced examples list (line 232)

2. CHANGELOG.md

[Unreleased] section: Added comprehensive documentation of this improvement (lines 8-33)
- Explained the change from ExtractInput to macro-generated extraction
- Highlighted that custom types now work seamlessly
- Noted new example file

3. src/lib.rs (Main library documentation)

Features: Added custom type support as third bullet point (lines 13-15)
Examples section: Added new "Custom Types" example showing usage (lines 439-484)

4. src/task.rs (Task trait documentation)

Trait docs: Updated to mention macro generates extraction logic (lines 10-15)
Added note that custom types work automatically

5. src/extract.rs (ExtractInput trait documentation)

Module docs: Updated to clarify this is now legacy/internal only (lines 1-33)
Explained modern approach via #[task] macro vs legacy ExtractInput trait
Noted ExtractInput only used by internal task_fn helper

6. dagx-macros/src/lib.rs (Macro documentation)

Macro docs: Added emphasis on type-specific extraction generation (lines 15-22)
Highlighted that custom types work without trait implementations

7. examples/custom_types.rs (NEW FILE)

Created comprehensive example demonstrating custom type support
Shows nested custom types (User, Project, TeamMember, Team)
Demonstrates types flowing through multiple task layers
Full working example with detailed documentation comments
Expected output documented in header

Key Messages in Documentation

What Changed

Before: Only types with ExtractInput implementations worked (primitives + standard types)
After: ANY type with Clone + Send + Sync + 'static works automatically

Why This Matters

No trait boilerplate for custom types
Nested structs, collections of custom types all work seamlessly
Simpler mental model - just derive Clone and go!
More ergonomic API

How It Works

#[task] macro generates custom extract_and_run() implementation per task
Type-specific extraction logic inlined at compile time
No runtime overhead compared to ExtractInput approach
ExtractInput now only used internally by test helper

Documentation Gaps Remaining

None found. The following were checked and updated:

✅ README.md (main documentation)
✅ CHANGELOG.md (version history)
✅ src/lib.rs (API documentation)
✅ src/task.rs (Task trait docs)
✅ src/extract.rs (ExtractInput trait docs)
✅ dagx-macros/src/lib.rs (macro documentation)
✅ examples/ (new example added)
✅ CONTRIBUTING.md (no changes needed - general guidelines)
✅ docs/*.md (no changes needed - architectural docs)

Example Test Status

The new custom_types.rs example:

Created at /home/swaits/Code/dagx/examples/custom_types.rs
Demonstrates User, Project, TeamMember, Team custom types
Shows nested types and collections
Needs to be compiled and tested: cargo run --example custom_types

Recommendations

Before Release

Compile and test the new example: cargo run --example custom_types
Update lib.rs last audited date (currently shows 2025-10-06 for v0.1.0)
Review CHANGELOG to ensure version number and date are correct when releasing
Consider adding a migration guide if there are any breaking changes

Future Documentation Enhancements

Consider adding a "Type Requirements" section to README explaining Clone + Send + Sync + 'static
Could add more examples showing:
- Enums as task outputs
- Generic custom types
- Types with lifetimes (showing why 'static is needed)

Summary

All documentation has been updated to accurately reflect the new custom type support. The key improvement - that ANY type works automatically with just Clone + Send + Sync - is now prominently featured in:

Main features list
Core concepts with examples
API documentation
Macro documentation
A comprehensive new example

The documentation emphasizes this is a major ergonomic improvement that makes dagx significantly easier to use with custom types.

4.8 KiB Raw Blame History