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I've got a library written in F#, consumed by C# and F#. this library defines a class foo, in module bar, in namespace random:
#light
namespace random
module bar
type foo() = ...
Now, when I go to consume type random.foo.bar, C# intellisense sees it as type bar, nested in type random.foo.
The question is this: Is there an advantage to C# to define externally-consumable code into modules, rather than namespaces? I understand that modules are a good way to group functions, but what about classes?
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A module is a way which is used to organize the code in separate files and can execute in their local scope, not in the global scope. A namespace is a way which is used for logical grouping of functionalities with local scoping.
In Python-speak, modules are a namespace—a place where names are created. And names that live in a module are called its attributes. Technically, modules correspond to files, and Python creates a module object to contain all the names defined in the file; but in simple terms, modules are just namespaces.
In the context of F#, a module is a grouping of F# code, such as values, types, and function values, in an F# program.
Namespaces are simply named JavaScript objects in the global namespace. This makes namespaces a very simple construct to use. Unlike modules, they can span multiple files, and can be concatenated using outFile .
If you're publishing F# components for consumption from other .Net languages, then you should avoid modules in the public interfaces, and stick to namespaces containing classes, structs, and enums.
(Modules are a handy way either to publish values, functions and types among F#-only components, or as 'internal' implementation details of an F# component that publishes .Net classes.)
(Do see also this question for a discussion of the 'technical distinction' between namespaces and modules. This question and my answer above are more about the 'intentional differences' e.g. when you would choose to use each.)
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