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In Standard ML, a type constructor is a function from types to types. Type constructors can be nullary, meaning that they take no arguments, as in `char`, `int`, and `real`. Type constructors can be unary, meaning that they take one argument, as in `array`, `list`, and `vector`. A program can define a new type constructor in two ways: a `type` definition or a `datatype` declaration. User-defined type constructors can can take any number of arguments.

    datatype t = T of int * real            (* 0 arguments *)
    type 'a t = 'a * int                    (* 1 argument *)
    datatype ('a, 'b) t = A | B of 'a * 'b  (* 2 arguments *)
    type ('a, 'b, 'c) t = 'a * ('b  -> 'c)  (* 3 arguments *)

Here are the syntax rules for type constructor application.

- Type constructor application is written in postfix. So, one writes `int list`, not `list int`.

- Unary type constructors drop the parens, so one writes `int list`, not `(int) list`.

- Nullary type constructors drop the argument entirely, so one writes `int`, not `() int`.

- N-ary type constructors use tuple notation; for example, `(int, real) t`.

- Type constructor application associates to the left. So, `int ref list` is the same as `(int ref) list`.

Last edited on 2005-12-02 04:26:23 by StephenWeeks.