# Generic parameter definitions

This chapter will discuss how rustc tracks what generic parameters are introduced. For example given some `struct Foo<T>` how does rustc track that `Foo` defines some type parameter `T` (and no other generic parameters).

This will *not* cover how we track generic parameters introduced via `for<'a>` syntax (e.g. in where clauses or `fn` types), which is covered elsewhere in the [chapter on `Binder`s ][ch_binders].

# `ty::Generics`

The generic parameters introduced by an item are tracked by the [`ty::Generics`] struct. Sometimes items allow usage of generics defined on parent items, this is accomplished via the `ty::Generics` struct having an optional field to specify a parent item to inherit generic parameters of. For example given the following code:

```rust,ignore
trait Trait<T> {
    fn foo<U>(&self);
}
```

The `ty::Generics` used for `foo` would contain `[U]` and a parent of `Some(Trait)`. `Trait` would have a `ty::Generics` containing `[Self, T]` with a parent of `None`.

The [`GenericParamDef`] struct is used to represent each individual generic parameter in a `ty::Generics` listing. The `GenericParamDef` struct contains information about the generic parameter, for example its name, defid, what kind of parameter it is (i.e. type, const, lifetime).

`GenericParamDef` also contains a `u32` index representing what position the parameter is (starting from the outermost parent), this is the value used to represent usages of generic parameters (more on this in the [chapter on representing types][ch_representing_types]).

Interestingly, `ty::Generics` does not currently contain _every_ generic parameter defined on an item. In the case of functions it only contains the _early bound_ parameters.

[ch_representing_types]: ./ty.md
[`ty::Generics`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_middle/ty/struct.Generics.html
[`GenericParamDef`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_middle/ty/generics/struct.GenericParamDef.html
[ch_binders]: ./ty-module/binders.md
