Trait Objects
Trait objects are a Rust programming language feature that enable dynamic dispatch, allowing code to work with different types that implement a common trait at runtime. They are represented as pointers (like &dyn Trait or Box<dyn Trait>) that store both data and a vtable for method lookup, facilitating polymorphism without knowing the concrete type at compile time. This is useful for scenarios where you need to handle heterogeneous collections or plugin-like architectures.
Developers should learn trait objects when building systems that require runtime polymorphism, such as GUI frameworks, game engines with various entity types, or plugin systems where types are not known until runtime. They are essential in Rust for achieving dynamic behavior while maintaining type safety, as they allow you to write generic code that can operate on any type implementing a trait, even when those types are determined dynamically.