Two map modules in OCaml Core (or one difference between Base and Core)

In OCaml Core (or Base), the recommended way to use create a map for a type is to make a module for that type, then to create a map for that module

module Foo = struct
  module T =
  struct type t = int * int [@@deriving sexp, compare] end
  include T
  include Comparable.Make(T)
end

This code behaves different in Base and Core due to Comparable.

In Base, Comparable(v0.14.0 doc source)) generates comparison and sexp related functions. In Core, Comparable(v0.14.0 doc source) generates extra module Foo.Set and Foo.Map with connection to *_binable (binary-serializable).

This can explain why the compile complains about this code after trying open Foo:

let play_foo set =
  let open Foo in
  ...
  Set.add set foo
  ...

Set, which supposes to be Core.Set is shadowed by Foo.Set after open Foo. Unfortunately, Foo.Set is incompatible with Core.Set.M(Foo). The parameter set is usually the latter. That’s the reason the compile complains and I wrote this blog in the end.

utop # Foo.Set.empty;;
- : Foo.Set.t = <abstr>
utop # Set.empty (module Foo);;
- : (Foo.t, Foo.comparator_witness) Set.t = <abstr>

The solution is easy. One can use Core.Set instead of Set to avoid shadowing, or to use Hashtbl if it’s suitable.

p.s.

The first code snipper contains [@@deriving sexp ...]. Both doc linked in the blog use deriving sexp. The section Maps and Hash Tables in Real World OCaml demonstrates the usage of sexp_of. Under my testing, when using this idiom in Base, deriving sexp_of is sufficient, but when using it in Core, one must use deriving sexp since t_of_sexp is required in Core.Comparable.Make. Or you will see the error message like this:

utop # 
module Foo = struct
  module T =
  struct  type t = int * int [@@deriving sexp_of, compare]  end
  include T
  include Comparable.Make(T)
end;;
Line 5, characters 26-27:
Error: Signature mismatch:
       ...
       The value `t_of_sexp' is required but not provided
       File "src/sexpable.ml", line 4, characters 2-29: Expected declaration