---
name: "MooseX::ArrayRef"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libmoosex-arrayref-perl"
version: "0.005-4"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/MooseX::ArrayRef"
---

# MooseX::ArrayRef(3pm)

blessed arrayrefs with Moose

## NAME

MooseX::ArrayRef - blessed arrayrefs with Moose

## SYNOPSIS

```
  {
    package Local::Person;
    use Moose;
    has name => (
      is    => 'ro',
      isa   => 'Str',
    );
    __PACKAGE__->meta->make_immutable;
  }

  {
    package Local::Marriage;
    use MooseX::ArrayRef;
    has husband => (
      is    => 'ro',
      isa   => 'Local::Person',
    );
    has wife => (
      is    => 'ro',
      isa   => 'Local::Person',
    );
    __PACKAGE__->meta->make_immutable;
  }

  my $marriage = Local::Marriage->new(
    wife      => Local::Person->new(name => 'Alex'),
    husband   => Local::Person->new(name => 'Sam'),
  );

  use Data::Dumper;
  use Scalar::Util qw(reftype);
  print reftype($marriage), "\n";   # 'ARRAY'
  print Dumper($marriage);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Objects implemented with arrayrefs rather than hashrefs are often faster than those implemented with hashrefs. Moose's default object implementation is hashref based. Can we go faster?

Simply `"use MooseX::ArrayRef"` instead of `"use Moose"`, but note the limitations in the section below.

The current implementation is mostly a proof of concept, but it does mostly seem to work.

## BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

### Limitations on Speed

The accessors for mutable classes not significantly faster than Moose's traditional hashref-based objects. For immutable classes, the speed up is bigger

```
               Rate  HashRef_M ArrayRef_M  HashRef_I ArrayRef_I
  HashRef_M  1016/s         --        -1%       -48%       -55%
  ArrayRef_M 1031/s         1%         --       -47%       -54%
  HashRef_I  1953/s        92%        89%         --       -13%
  ArrayRef_I 2257/s       122%       119%        16%         --
```

### Limitations on Mutability

Things will probably break if you try to modify classes, add roles, etc "on the fly". Make your classes immutable before instantiating even a single object.

### Limitations on Inheritance

Inheritance isn't easy to implement with arrayrefs. The current implementation suffers from the following limitations:

- •

  Single inheritance only.

  You cannot extend multiple parent classes.

- •

  Inherit from other MooseX::ArrayRef classes only.

  A MooseX::ArrayRef class cannot extend a non-MooseX::ArrayRef class. Even non-Moose classes which are implemented using arrayrefs. (Of course, all Moose classes inherit from Moose::Object too, which is just fine.)

Note that delegation (via Moose's `"handles"`) is often a good alternative to inheritance.

### Issue Tracker

Please report any bugs to \<http://rt.cpan.org/Dist/Display.html?Queue=MooseX-ArrayRef\>.

## SEE ALSO

Moose, MooseX::GlobRef, MooseX::InsideOut.

## AUTHOR

Toby Inkster \<tobyink@cpan.org\>.

## COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

This software is copyright (c) 2012 by Toby Inkster.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.

## DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

THIS PACKAGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.