Scope of type hints in Clojure?

Question

I am seeking information on the scope of type hints in Clojure, for instance, if I write

(defn big-add [^BigInteger x y] (.add x y))

is that the same as

(defn big-add [^BigInteger x ^BigInteger y] (.add x y))

? Suppose I write

(defn big-sum 
  ([] BigInteger/ZERO)
  ([^BigInteger x] x)
  ([^BigInteger x & more] (.add x (apply big-sum more) )))

Does Clojure assume that more is full of BigInteger? Suppose I want to tell it not? Would I do something like

(defn foo [^BigInteger x & ^Long more] ...)

?

Answer 1

Simply set warn-on-reflection true and test your expressions with a function where the type can't be resolved.

REPL:

(set! *warn-on-reflection* true)
(defn testo [s]
      (str s))
=> #'user/testo

(defn testo [s]
      (.charAt s 1))
=> Reflection warning, NO_SOURCE_PATH:2:8 - call to charAt can't be resolved.

(defn testo [^java.lang.String s]
      (.charAt s 1))
=> #'user/testo

(defn testo [^java.lang.String s s2]
      (.charAt s2 1))
=> Reflection warning, NO_SOURCE_PATH:2:8 - call to charAt can't be resolved.

(defn testo [^java.lang.String s & more]
      (.charAt (first more) 1))
=> Reflection warning, NO_SOURCE_PATH:2:8 - call to charAt can't be resolved.

And finally

(defn testo [s & ^java.lang.String more]
      (.charAt (first more) 1))
=> CompilerException java.lang.RuntimeException: & arg cannot have type hint, compiling:(NO_SOURCE_PATH:1:1) 

The short answer to each of your questions is no :(