pub enum Infallible {}
Expand description

The error type for errors that can never happen.

Since this enum has no variant, a value of this type can never actually exist. This can be useful for generic APIs that use Result and parameterize the error type, to indicate that the result is always Ok.

For example, the TryFrom trait (conversion that returns a Result) has a blanket implementation for all types where a reverse Into implementation exists.

impl<T, U> TryFrom<U> for T where U: Into<T> {
    type Error = Infallible;

    fn try_from(value: U) -> Result<Self, Infallible> {
        Ok(U::into(value))  // Never returns `Err`
    }
}

Future compatibility

This enum has the same role as the ! “never” type, which is unstable in this version of Rust. When ! is stabilized, we plan to make Infallible a type alias to it:

pub type Infallible = !;

… and eventually deprecate Infallible.

However there is one case where ! syntax can be used before ! is stabilized as a full-fledged type: in the position of a function’s return type. Specifically, it is possible to have implementations for two different function pointer types:

trait MyTrait {}
impl MyTrait for fn() -> ! {}
impl MyTrait for fn() -> std::convert::Infallible {}

With Infallible being an enum, this code is valid. However when Infallible becomes an alias for the never type, the two impls will start to overlap and therefore will be disallowed by the language’s trait coherence rules.

Trait Implementations

Returns a copy of the value. Read more
Performs copy-assignment from source. Read more
Formats the value using the given formatter. Read more
Formats the value using the given formatter. Read more
👎Deprecated since 1.42.0: use the Display impl or to_string()
The lower-level source of this error, if any. Read more
👎Deprecated since 1.33.0: replaced by Error::source, which can support downcasting
🔬This is a nightly-only experimental API. (error_generic_member_access)
Provides type based access to context intended for error reports. Read more
Converts to this type from the input type.
Converts to this type from the input type.
Converts to this type from the input type.
Feeds this value into the given Hasher. Read more
Feeds a slice of this type into the given Hasher. Read more
This method returns an Ordering between self and other. Read more
Compares and returns the maximum of two values. Read more
Compares and returns the minimum of two values. Read more
Restrict a value to a certain interval. Read more
This method tests for self and other values to be equal, and is used by ==. Read more
This method tests for !=. The default implementation is almost always sufficient, and should not be overridden without very good reason. Read more
This method returns an ordering between self and other values if one exists. Read more
This method tests less than (for self and other) and is used by the < operator. Read more
This method tests less than or equal to (for self and other) and is used by the <= operator. Read more
This method tests greater than (for self and other) and is used by the > operator. Read more
This method tests greater than or equal to (for self and other) and is used by the >= operator. Read more

Auto Trait Implementations

Blanket Implementations

Gets the TypeId of self. Read more
Immutably borrows from an owned value. Read more
Mutably borrows from an owned value. Read more
Converts to this type from the input type.

Returns the argument unchanged.

Calls U::from(self).

That is, this conversion is whatever the implementation of From<T> for U chooses to do.

🔬This is a nightly-only experimental API. (provide_any)
Data providers should implement this method to provide all values they are able to provide by using demand. Read more
The resulting type after obtaining ownership.
Creates owned data from borrowed data, usually by cloning. Read more
Uses borrowed data to replace owned data, usually by cloning. Read more
Converts the given value to a String. Read more
The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
Performs the conversion.
The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
Performs the conversion.