[erlang-questions] quoted atoms in type specs

[Kostis Sagonas]

Ryan Zezeski wrote:
> Is there a reason to use a quoted atom rather than a bare atom in a type
> specification.  E.g., in the reference manual is the following example:
> 
> Atom :: atom()
>     | Erlang_Atom %% 'foo', 'bar', ...
> 
> I also notice this in a the module getopt in the rebar source code.
> 
> -type arg_type() :: 'atom' | 'binary' | 'boolean' | 'float' | 'integer' |
> 'string'.
> 
> Why are the atoms being quoted? I was able to compile a module where the
> type specification uses bare atoms. Why not declare it that way?

There is no deep reason; it's just a convention.  Personally, I've been 
bitten once too many by omitting parentheses, e.g. writing:

	-type my_type() :: atom | integer.

when I should have written:

	-type my_type() :: atom() | integer().

If one _really_ wants the former, it's IMO better to write it as:

	-type my_type() :: 'atom' | 'integer'.

which makes it crystal clear that the atoms are there for a reason and 
it's not just that parentheses are missing.

But you are right: the first and third type declarations in my reply are 
equivalent.

Kostis