F# includes a language feature to annotate your code with units of measure like meter, second or kilogram, preferably from the SI system. These units are statically checked during compile time and will not be part of the compiled code.
> [<Measure>] type m;; [<Measure>] type m > [<Measure>] type s;; [<Measure>] type s > let v (s:float<m>) (t:float<s>) = s/t;; val v : float<m> -> float<s> -> float<m/s> > v 100.0<m> 4.5<s>;; val it : float<m/s> = 22.22222222
You may recognize that the type of the speed function ‘v’ includes a type float<m/s> automatically derived from the basic types and units of measure float<m> and float<s>.
The F# PowerPack includes the SI units of measure (to install F# PowerPack on Linux / Mono look here).
> #r "FSharp.PowerPack.dll";; --> Referenced '/usr/local/lib/FSharp-2.0.0.0/bin/FSharp.PowerPack.dll' > open SI;; > 1.0<kg>;; val it : float<kg> = 1.0
The complete list of SI units available in module SI can be found here.
> let w = 1.0<kg>;; val w : float<kg> = 1.0 > let g = 9.81<m/s^2>;; val g : float<m/s ^ 2> = 9.81 > let f = w * g;; val f : float<kg m/s ^ 2> = 9.81
Further reading:
Pingback: Rick Minerich's Development Wonderland : F# Discoveries This Week 10/03/2010