Full Ecosystem
Enum usage spans the entire tech stack—from backend frameworks to API documentation, from game engines to hardware description languages. This guide summarizes enum implementation approaches in mainstream frameworks and tools, helping you use enums correctly in various scenarios.
This guide covers enum support in ecosystems like Rails, Laravel, Pydantic, Swagger/OpenAPI, GraphQL, Godot, Unity, SystemVerilog.
Backend frameworks typically provide enum support, but implementation approaches vary. Understanding each framework's characteristics helps you choose the most suitable solution.
class Order < ApplicationRecord
enum status: {
pending: 'pending',
paid: 'paid',
refunded: 'refunded'
}, _prefix: true
end
# i18n:
# en:
# activerecord:
# attributes:
# order/status:
# pending: Pending
Rails' enum macro automatically generates query methods and scopes, very convenient. Combined with i18n, it enables multilingual display.
enum OrderStatus: string
{
case Pending = 'pending';
case Paid = 'paid';
case Refunded = 'refunded';
}
// Eloquent attribute casting
protected $casts = [
'status' => OrderStatus::class,
];
PHP 8.1 introduced native enums, Laravel 9+ fully supports them. Eloquent automatically handles type conversion.
Use enums in Python environments to generate OpenAPI documentation, with `Enum`/`StrEnum` preserving string values.
Pydantic automatically validates enum values, FastAPI lists all options in Swagger documentation.
Although Elixir doesn't have native enums, `Ecto.Enum` and functions like `Enum.reduce`, `Enum.all?` are commonly used for restricted sets.
Ecto provides Enum field types that can automatically convert between database and application layers.
Enum definitions in API documentation are key to frontend-backend collaboration. Protocols like OpenAPI and GraphQL support enums, making interfaces clearer and easier to use.
status:
type: string
enum: [pending, paid, refunded]
description: Order processing stage
examples:
- pending
OpenAPI's enum field supports adding descriptions and examples, Swagger UI automatically displays dropdown lists.
GraphQL enum definitions, client caching strategies; ProtoBuf enums and version compatibility (handling `no enum constant` issues).
GraphQL enums are part of the type system, ProtoBuf enums need attention to compatibility during version evolution.
In scenarios like Godot, Unity, SystemVerilog, enums typically play roles in configuration, state, and signals.
enum State {
IDLE,
RUN,
JUMP
}
@export var player_state: State
func _process(delta):
match player_state:
State.IDLE:
pass
State.RUN:
pass
Godot's @export annotation allows enums to display as dropdown lists in the editor, convenient for configuration.
Display enums in Unity Inspector, `[Flags]` extension; SystemVerilog `typedef enum` and `$cast` usage points.
Unity also supports exporting enums to the editor; SystemVerilog is used for hardware description, enums make state machines clearer.
Add `description` and `examples` in the schema, and provide explanations in tables corresponding to enum values. Combine with `.net core swagger schema enum values description example` template.
Yes, from Rails 7 onwards supports `enum status: { pending: 'pending' }`, and can combine with `_prefix`, `_suffix` to avoid method conflicts.
Use `@export var state: State` to select enum values in Inspector, combine with `match` to write state machines.
Provide multilingual descriptions at schema comment and documentation levels, and map to i18n text in client code; GraphQL spec allows custom directives.