Question 1

How to convert a nested hash to immutable in Crystal?

Accepted Answer

Use the `.from` method as shown in the README: `Immutable.from({:key => 'value'})` returns an immutable Map with nested structures converted, preserving the original data without manual copying.

Question 2

Immutable Vector vs Crystal Array performance comparison?

Accepted Answer

Immutable Vector offers O(Log32) lookups and updates with structural sharing for thread safety, while Crystal Array provides O(1) for many operations but requires locks for concurrency. Choose based on thread-safety needs vs raw speed.

Question 3

When should I use transient in the Immutable library?

Accepted Answer

Use transient for bulk updates, as it temporarily enables mutable operations to improve performance. The README shows examples with 1000-time loops where transient reduces overhead compared to repeated immutable modifications.

Question 4

Is Immutable::Map thread-safe without any locks?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because it's immutable, so multiple threads can read or create copies concurrently without locks. The README explicitly states this inherent thread-safety due to persistent data structures.

Question 5

How do I install the Immutable library in a Crystal project?

Accepted Answer

Add it to your shard.yml as shown: specify `immutable` under dependencies with the GitHub URL. Then run `shards install` to integrate it seamlessly with your Crystal setup.

Question 6

What are the main limitations of using Immutable in Crystal?

Accepted Answer

It only supports Vector and Map data structures, so you might miss sets or queues. Also, the O(Log32) complexity, while efficient, isn't as fast as O(1) for some high-performance use cases with mutable collections.

immutable

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