[swift-users] How flatMap's signature is able to translate from Optional<Type> to [Type]?

[Maxim Veksler]

I'm trying to understand the signature of flapMap that allows it to "strip
down" Optional from a type, when called on an Optional collection but
remain same type when called on a non option collection.

How would flatMap be implemented if would have been stand alone?

This for ex. I can't get to compile:

func flatMap<ElementOfResult, Element, T: Sequence>(on: T, _ transform: (
Element) throws -> ElementOfResult?

    ) rethrows -> [ElementOfResult] {

    var result: [ElementOfResult] = []

    for element in on {

        if let newElement = try transform(element) {

            result.append(newElement)

        }

    }

    return result

}


Additionally please see 2 related SO questions, for background.

http://stackoverflow.com/q/42213656
http://stackoverflow.com/q/42214880
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