# `dyn Trait` for trait objects

Minimum Rust version: 1.27

The `dyn Trait` feature is the new syntax for using trait objects. In short:

- `Box<Trait>` becomes `Box<dyn Trait>`
- `&Trait` and `&mut Trait` become `&dyn Trait` and `&mut dyn Trait`

And so on. In code:

    #![allow(unused_variables)]
    fn main() {
    trait Trait {}

    impl Trait for i32 {}

    // old
    fn function1() -> Box<Trait> {
    unimplemented!()
    }

    // new
    fn function2() -> Box<dyn Trait> {
    unimplemented!()
    }
    }

That's it!

## More details

Using just the trait name for trait objects turned out to be a bad decision. The current syntax is often ambiguous and confusing, even to veterans, and favors a feature that is not more frequently used than its alternatives, is sometimes slower, and often cannot be used at all when its alternatives can.

Furthermore, with `impl Trait` arriving, "`impl Trait` vs `dyn Trait`" is much more symmetric, and therefore a bit nicer, than "`impl Trait` vs `Trait`". `impl Trait` is explained here.

In the new edition, you should therefore prefer `dyn Trait` to just `Trait` where you need a trait object.