Data structures
Data structures are data organization, management, and storage formats that are usually chosen for efficient access to data. More precisely, a data structure is a collection of data values, the relationships among them, and the functions or operations that can be applied to the data.
This page lists a handy collection of data structures implemented in Tact for your day-to-day needs and beyond.
All of the data structures listed here are made using the built-in map<K, V>
type. For the description and basic usage of maps see the dedicated page in the Book.
Array
An array (opens in a new tab) is a data structure consisting of a continuous block of memory, which represents a collection of elements of same memory size, each identified by at least one array key or index.
Following example emulates an array using a map<Int, V>
wrapped in a Struct, where V
can be any of the allowed value types of the map:
import "@stdlib/deploy"; // for Deployable trait
struct Array {
map: map<Int as uint16, Int>; // array of Int values as a map of Ints to Ints,
// with serialization of its keys to uint16 to save space
length: Int = 0; // length of the array, defaults to 0
}
// Compile-time constant upper bound for our map representing an array.
const MaxArraySize: Int = 5_000; // 5,000 entries max, to stay reasonably far from limits
// Extension mutation function for adding new entries to the end of the array
extends mutates fun append(self: Array, item: Int) {
require(self.length + 1 <= MaxArraySize, "No space in the array left for new items!");
self.map.set(self.length, item); // set the entry (key-value pair)
self.length += 1; // increase the length field
}
// Extension mutation function for inserting new entries at the given index
extends mutates fun insert(self: Array, item: Int, idx: Int) {
require(self.length + 1 <= MaxArraySize, "No space in the array left for new items!");
require(idx >= 0, "Index of the item cannot be negative!");
require(idx < self.length, "Index is out of array bounds!");
// Move all items from idx to the right
let i: Int = self.length; // not a typo, as we need to start from the non-existing place
while (i > idx) {
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
self.map.set(i, self.map.get(i - 1)!!);
i -= 1;
}
// And put the new item in
self.map.set(idx, item); // set the entry (key-value pair)
self.length += 1; // increase the length field
}
// Extension function for getting the value at the given index
extends fun getIdx(self: Array, idx: Int): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the array!");
require(idx >= 0, "Index of the item cannot be negative!");
require(idx < self.length, "Index is out of array bounds!");
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
return self.map.get(idx)!!;
}
// Extension function for returning the last value
extends fun getLast(self: Array): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the array!");
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
return self.map.get(self.length - 1)!!;
}
// Extension mutation function for deleting and entry at the given index and returning its value
extends mutates fun deleteIdx(self: Array, idx: Int): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the array to delete!");
require(idx >= 0, "Index of the item cannot be negative!");
require(idx < self.length, "Index is out of array bounds!");
// Remember the value, which is going to be deleted
let memorized: Int = self.map.get(idx)!!;
// Move all items from idx and including to the left
let i: Int = idx;
while (i + 1 < self.length) {
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
self.map.set(i, self.map.get(i + 1)!!);
i += 1;
}
self.map.set(self.length - 1, null); // delete the last entry
self.length -= 1; // decrease the length field
return memorized;
}
// Extension mutation function for deleting the last entry and returning its value
extends fun deleteLast(self: Array): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the array!");
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
let lastItem: Int = self.map.get(self.length - 1)!!;
self.map.set(self.length - 1, null); // delete the entry
self.length -= 1; // decrease the length field
return lastItem;
}
// Extension function for deleting all items in the Array
extends mutates fun deleteAll(self: Array) {
self.map = emptyMap();
self.length = 0;
}
// Global static function for creating an empty Array
fun emptyArray(): Array {
return Array{map: emptyMap()}; // length defaults to 0
}
// Contract, with emulating an Array using the map
contract MapAsArray with Deployable {
// Persistent state variables
array: Array;
// Constructor (initialization) function of the contract
init() {
self.array = emptyArray();
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "append"
receive("append") {
// Add a new item
self.array.append(42);
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "delete_5h"
receive("delete_5th") {
// Remove the 5th item if it exists and reply back with its value, or raise an error
self.reply(self.array.deleteIdx(4).toCoinsString().asComment()); // index offset 0 + 4 gives the 5th item
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "del_last"
receive("del_last") {
// Remove the last item and reply back with its value, or raise an error
self.reply(self.array.deleteLast().toCoinsString().asComment());
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "get_last"
receive("get_last") {
// Reply back with the latest item in the array if it exists, or raise an error
self.reply(self.array.getLast().toCoinsString().asComment());
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "delete_all"
receive("delete_all") {
self.array.deleteAll();
}
}
Stack
A stack (opens in a new tab) is a data structure consisting of a collection of elements with two main operations:
- push, which adds an element to the end of the collection
- pop, which removes the most recently added element
Following example emulates a stack using a map<Int, V>
wrapped in a Struct, where V
can be any of the allowed value types of the map:
import "@stdlib/deploy"; // for Deployable trait
struct Stack {
map: map<Int as uint16, Int>; // stack of Int values as a map of Ints to Ints,
// with serialization of its keys to uint16 to save space
length: Int = 0; // length of the stack, defaults to 0
}
// Compile-time constant upper bound for our map representing an stack.
const MaxStackSize: Int = 5_000; // 5,000 entries max, to stay reasonably far from limits
// Extension mutation function for adding new entries to the end of the stack
extends mutates fun push(self: Stack, item: Int) {
require(self.length + 1 <= MaxStackSize, "No space in the stack left for new items!");
self.map.set(self.length, item); // set the entry (key-value pair)
self.length += 1; // increase the length field
}
// Extension mutation function for deleting the last entry and returning its value
extends mutates fun pop(self: Stack): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the stack to delete!");
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
let lastItem: Int = self.map.get(self.length - 1)!!;
self.map.set(self.length - 1, null); // delete the entry
self.length -= 1; // decrease the length field
return lastItem;
}
// Extension function for returning the last value
extends fun peek(self: Stack): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the stack!");
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
return self.map.get(self.length - 1)!!;
}
// Extension function for deleting all items in the Stack
extends mutates fun deleteAll(self: Stack) {
self.map = emptyMap();
self.length = 0;
}
// Global static function for creating an empty Stack
fun emptyStack(): Stack {
return Stack{map: emptyMap()}; // length defaults to 0
}
contract MapAsStack with Deployable {
// Persistent state variables
stack: Stack; // our stack, which uses the map
// Constructor (initialization) function of the contract
init() {
self.stack = emptyStack();
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "push"
receive("push") {
// Add a new item
self.stack.push(42);
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "pop"
receive("pop") {
// Remove the last item and reply with it
self.reply(self.stack.pop().toCoinsString().asComment());
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "peek"
receive("peek") {
// Reply back with the latest item in the map if it exists, or raise an error
self.reply(self.stack.peek().toCoinsString().asComment());
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "delete_all"
receive("delete_all") {
self.stack.deleteAll();
}
// Getter function for obtaining the stack
get fun map(): map<Int, Int> {
return self.stack.map;
}
// Getter function for obtaining the current length of the stack
get fun length(): Int {
return self.stack.length;
}
}
Circular buffer
A circular buffer (opens in a new tab) (circular queue, cyclic buffer or ring buffer) is a data structure, which uses a single, fixed-size buffer (opens in a new tab) as it were connected end-to-end.
Following example emulates a circular buffer using a map<Int, V>
wrapped in a Struct, where V
can be any of the allowed value types of the map:
import "@stdlib/deploy"; // for Deployable trait
struct CircularBuffer {
map: map<Int as uint8, Int>; // circular buffer of Int values as a map of Ints to Ints,
// with serialization of its keys to uint8 to save space
length: Int = 0; // length of the circular buffer, defaults to 0
start: Int = 0; // current index into the circular buffer, defaults to 0
}
// Compile-time constant upper bound for our map representing a circular buffer.
const MaxCircularBufferSize: Int = 5;
// Extension mutation function for putting new items to the circular buffer
extends mutates fun put(self: CircularBuffer, item: Int) {
if (self.length < MaxCircularBufferSize) {
self.map.set(self.length, item); // store the item
self.length += 1; // increase the length field
} else {
self.map.set(self.start, item); // store the item, overriding previous entry
self.start = (self.start + 1) % MaxCircularBufferSize; // update starting position
}
}
// Extension mutation function for getting an item from the circular buffer
extends mutates fun getIdx(self: CircularBuffer, idx: Int): Int {
require(self.length > 0, "No items in the circular buffer!");
require(idx >= 0, "Index of the item cannot be negative!");
if (self.length < MaxCircularBufferSize) {
// Note, that we use !! operator as we know for sure that the value would be there
return self.map.get(idx % self.length)!!;
}
// Return the value rotating around the circular buffer, also guaranteed to be there
return self.map.get((self.start + idx) % MaxCircularBufferSize)!!;
}
// Extension function for iterating over all items in the circular buffer and dumping them to the console
extends fun printAll(self: CircularBuffer) {
let i: Int = self.start;
repeat (self.length) {
dump(self.map.get(i)!!); // !! tells the compiler this can't be null
i = (i + 1) % MaxCircularBufferSize;
}
}
// Extension function for deleting all items in the CircularBuffer
extends mutates fun deleteAll(self: CircularBuffer) {
self.map = emptyMap();
self.length = 0;
self.start = 0;
}
// Global static function for creating an empty CircularBuffer
fun emptyCircularBuffer(): CircularBuffer {
return CircularBuffer{map: emptyMap()}; // length and start default to 0
}
// This contract records the last 5 timestamps of when "timer" message was received
contract MapAsCircularBuffer with Deployable {
// Persistent state variables
cBuf: CircularBuffer; // our circular buffer, which uses a map
// Constructor (initialization) function of the contract
init() {
self.cBuf = emptyCircularBuffer();
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "timer"
// and records the timestamp when it receives such message
receive("timer") {
let timestamp: Int = now();
self.cBuf.put(timestamp);
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "get_first"
// and replies with the first item of the circular buffer
receive("get_first") {
self.reply(self.cBuf.getIdx(0).toCoinsString().asComment());
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "print_all"
receive("print_all") {
self.cBuf.printAll();
}
// Internal message receiver, which responds to a String message "delete_all"
receive("delete_all") {
self.cBuf.deleteAll();
}
}
This example is adapted from Arrays page in Tact-By-Example (opens in a new tab).
Didn't find your favorite example of working with data structures? Have cool implementations in mind? Contributions are welcome! (opens in a new tab)