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

MCP server for Macroforge documentation and code analysis

# PartialOrd

The `PartialOrd` macro generates a `partialCompare()` method for **partial ordering** comparison.
This is analogous to Rust's `PartialOrd` trait, enabling comparison between values where some pairs
may be incomparable. Like `partial_cmp` and `cmp` in Rust, it sits beside `Ord`'s `compare()`
without colliding.

## Generated Output

| Type       | Generated Code                                                  | Description                                    |
| ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Class      | `classNamePartialCompare(a, b)` + `static partialCompare(a, b)` | Standalone function + static wrapper method    |
| Enum       | `enumNamePartialCompare(a, b): number \| null`                  | Standalone function returning `number \| null` |
| Interface  | `ifaceNamePartialCompare(a, b): number \| null`                 | Standalone function returning `number \| null` |
| Type Alias | `typeNamePartialCompare(a, b): number \| null`                  | Standalone function returning `number \| null` |

Names use **camelCase** conversion (e.g., `Temperature` → `temperaturePartialCompare`).

## Return Values

Unlike `Ord`, `PartialOrd` returns `number | null` to handle incomparable values:

- **negative**: `a` is less than `b`
- **0**: `a` is equal to `b`
- **positive**: `a` is greater than `b`
- **null**: Values are incomparable

A comparison is `0` exactly when the derived `PartialEq` holds. Strings therefore order by UTF-16
code units, not `localeCompare`, which can call distinct strings equal.

## When to Use PartialOrd vs Ord

- **PartialOrd**: When some values may not be comparable
  - Example: Floating-point NaN values
  - Example: Mixed-type unions
  - Example: Type mismatches between objects

- **Ord**: When all values are guaranteed comparable (total ordering)

## Comparison Strategy

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

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

## Type-Specific Comparisons

| Type                        | Comparison Method                                                           |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `number`                    | `<` and `>`; `null` when either is `NaN`                                    |
| `bigint`, `string`          | `<` and `>`, strings by UTF-16 code units                                   |
| `boolean`                   | `false < true`                                                              |
| Optional and nullable       | An absent value orders first                                                |
| Arrays                      | Lexicographic, each element by its own type; `null` on an unordered element |
| `Date`                      | Timestamp; `null` if invalid                                                |
| Types deriving `PartialOrd` | Their `partialCompare` function                                             |
| Anything else               | `structuralCompare` from `@macroforge/core/structural`                      |

## Requirements

`PartialOrd` requires `PartialEq`, as in Rust. Deriving it without `PartialEq` is an expansion
error.

## Field-Level Options

The `@ord` decorator supports:

- `skip` - Exclude the field from ordering comparison

## Example

```typescript before
/** @derive(PartialEq, PartialOrd) */
class Temperature {
    value: number;
    unit: string;
}
```

```typescript after
class Temperature {
    value: number;
    unit: string;

    static partialCompare(a: Temperature, b: Temperature): number | null {
        return temperaturePartialCompare(a, b);
    }
}

export function temperaturePartialCompare(a: Temperature, b: Temperature): number | null {
    if (a === b) return 0;
    const cmp0 = a.value < b.value ? -1 : a.value > b.value ? 1 : a.value === b.value ? 0 : null;
    if (cmp0 === null) return null;
    if (cmp0 !== 0) return cmp0;
    const cmp1 = a.unit < b.unit ? -1 : a.unit > b.unit ? 1 : 0;
    if (cmp1 === null) return null;
    if (cmp1 !== 0) return cmp1;
    return 0;
}
```

## Return Type

The generated functions return `number | null` where `null` indicates incomparable values.