@macroforge/mcp-server/docs/builtin-macros/ord.md

MCP server for Macroforge documentation and code analysis

# Ord

The `Ord` macro generates a `compare()` method for **total ordering** comparison. This is analogous
to Rust's `Ord` trait, enabling objects to be sorted and compared with a guaranteed ordering
relationship.

## Generated Output

| Type       | Generated Code                                                     | Description                                          |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Class      | `classNameCompare(a, b)` + `static compare(a, b)`                  | Standalone function + static wrapper method          |
| Enum       | `enumNameCompare(a: EnumName, b: EnumName): number`                | Standalone function comparing enum values            |
| Interface  | `interfaceNameCompare(a: InterfaceName, b: InterfaceName): number` | Standalone function comparing fields                 |
| Type Alias | `typeNameCompare(a: TypeName, b: TypeName): number`                | Standalone function with type-appropriate comparison |

## Return Values

Unlike `PartialOrd`, `Ord` provides **total ordering** - every pair of values can be compared:

- **-1**: `a` is less than `b`
- **0**: `a` is equal to `b`
- **1**: `a` is greater than `b`

The function **never returns null** - all values must be comparable.

## Comparison Strategy

Fields are compared **lexicographically** in declaration order:

1. Compare first field
2. If not equal, return that result
3. Otherwise, compare next field
4. Continue until a difference is found or all fields are equal

## Type-Specific Comparisons

| Type                  | Comparison Method                                                                               |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `number`/`bigint`     | Direct `<` and `>` comparison                                                                   |
| `string`              | UTF-16 code units, so `0` exactly when `===` holds                                              |
| `boolean`             | false &lt; true                                                                                 |
| Optional and nullable | An absent value orders first                                                                    |
| Arrays                | Lexicographic, each element compared by its own type                                            |
| `Date`                | `getTime()` timestamp comparison                                                                |
| Types deriving `Ord`  | Their `compare` function                                                                        |
| Anything else         | `structuralCompare` from `@macroforge/core/structural`, a total order agreeing with `PartialEq` |

## Requirements

`Ord` requires `Eq` and `PartialOrd`, as in Rust, and so `PartialEq` as well. Deriving it without
them is an expansion error.

## Field-Level Options

The `@ord` decorator supports:

- `skip` - Exclude the field from ordering comparison

## Example

```typescript before
/** @derive(PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord) */
class Version {
    major: number;
    minor: number;
    patch: number;
}
```

```typescript after
class Version {
    major: number;
    minor: number;
    patch: number;

    static compare(a: Version, b: Version): number {
        return versionCompare(a, b);
    }
}

export function versionCompare(a: Version, b: Version): number {
    if (a === b) return 0;
    const cmp0 = a.major < b.major ? -1 : a.major > b.major ? 1 : 0;
    if (cmp0 !== 0) return cmp0;
    const cmp1 = a.minor < b.minor ? -1 : a.minor > b.minor ? 1 : 0;
    if (cmp1 !== 0) return cmp1;
    const cmp2 = a.patch < b.patch ? -1 : a.patch > b.patch ? 1 : 0;
    if (cmp2 !== 0) return cmp2;
    return 0;
}
```

## Ord vs PartialOrd

- Use **Ord** when all values are comparable (total ordering)
- Use **PartialOrd** when some values may be incomparable (returns `number | null`)