Conditional methods of Scala generic classes with restrictions for type parameters

Question

I believe that a generic class may make one of its methods available only assuming that its type parameters conform to some additional restrictions, something like (syntax i

Answer 1

You can also use a type bound on the type parameter, which is enforced by an implicit argument:

trait Col[T] extends Traversable[T] {
    def sum(implicit ev: T <:< Int) :T = (0/:this)(_+_)
}

<:< is actually a class, expressed in infix notation, defined in Predef.scala and explained in many places, including here

<:< means 'must be a subtype of'

You can also use =:= 'must be equal to' and X <%< Y 'must be viewable as' (ie. there is an implicit conversion to X from Y)

For a more detailed explanation of type constraints, see this SO question.