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rhaj/_archive/rhai_engine/rhaibook/language/fn-namespaces.md
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Function Namespaces
===================
{{#include ../links.md}}
Each Function is a Separate Compilation Unit
--------------------------------------------
[Functions] in Rhai are _pure_ and they form individual _compilation units_.
This means that individual [functions] can be separated, exported, re-grouped, imported, and
generally mix-'n-matched with other completely unrelated scripts.
For example, the `AST::merge` and `AST::combine` methods (or the equivalent `+` and `+=` operators)
allow combining all [functions] in one [`AST`] into another, forming a new, unified, group of [functions].
Namespace Types
---------------
In general, there are two main types of _namespaces_ where [functions] are looked up:
| Namespace | Quantity | Source | Lookup | Sub-modules? | Variables? |
| --------- | :------: | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | :----------: | :--------: |
| Global | one | <ol><li>[`AST`] being evaluated</li><li>`Engine::register_XXX` API</li><li>global registered [modules]</li><li>[functions] in [imported][`import`] [modules] marked _global_</li><li>[functions] in registered static [modules] marked _global_</li></ol> | simple name | ignored | ignored |
| Module | many | <ol><li>[Module] registered via `Engine::register_static_module`</li><li>[Module] loaded via [`import`] statement</li></ol> | namespace-qualified name | yes | yes |
### Module Namespaces
There can be multiple [module] namespaces at any time during a script evaluation, usually loaded via
the [`import`] statement.
_Static_ [module] namespaces can also be registered into an [`Engine`] via `Engine::register_static_module`.
[Functions] and [variables] in module namespaces are isolated and encapsulated within their own environments.
They must be called or accessed in a _namespace-qualified_ manner.
```js
import "my_module" as m; // new module namespace 'm' created via 'import'
let x = m::calc_result(); // namespace-qualified function call
let y = m::MY_NUMBER; // namespace-qualified variable/constant access
let z = calc_result(); // <- error: function 'calc_result' not found
// in global namespace!
```
### Global Namespace
There is one _global_ namespace for every [`Engine`], which includes (in the following search order):
* all [functions] defined in the [`AST`] currently being evaluated,
* all native Rust functions and iterators registered via the `Engine::register_XXX` API,
* all functions and iterators defined in global [modules] that are registered into the [`Engine`]
via `register_global_module`,
* functions defined in [modules] registered into the [`Engine`] via `register_static_module` that
are specifically marked for exposure to the global namespace (e.g. via the `#[rhai(global)]`
attribute in a [plugin module]).
* [functions] defined in [imported][`import`] [modules] that are specifically marked for exposure to
the global namespace (e.g. via the `#[rhai(global)]` attribute in a [plugin module]).
Anywhere in a Rhai script, when a function call is made, the function is searched within the
global namespace, in the above search order.
Therefore, function calls in Rhai are _late_ bound &ndash; meaning that the function called cannot be
determined or guaranteed; there is no way to _lock down_ the function being called.
This aspect is very similar to JavaScript before ES6 modules.
```rust
// Compile a script into AST
let ast1 = engine.compile(
r#"
fn get_message() {
"Hello!" // greeting message
}
fn say_hello() {
print(get_message()); // prints message
}
say_hello();
"#)?;
// Compile another script with an overriding function
let ast2 = engine.compile(r#"fn get_message() { "Boo!" }"#)?;
// Combine the two AST's
ast1 += ast2; // 'message' will be overwritten
engine.run_ast(&ast1)?; // prints 'Boo!'
```
Therefore, care must be taken when _cross-calling_ [functions] to make sure that the correct
[function] is called.
The only practical way to ensure that a [function] is a correct one is to use [modules] &ndash;
i.e. define the [function] in a separate [module] and then [`import`] it:
```js
┌──────────────┐
message.rhai
└──────────────┘
fn get_message() { "Hello!" }
┌─────────────┐
script.rhai
└─────────────┘
import "message" as msg;
fn say_hello() {
print(msg::get_message());
}
say_hello();
```