zed/crates/gpui/docs/contexts.md
Petros Amoiridis 3c8b376764
Fix broken character (#9992)
This is extremely minor but I couldn't help it.


![broken-character](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/assets/28818/1b598b53-2a6a-4fd7-8857-a43e682db35e)

Release Notes:

- N/A
2024-03-30 14:39:45 -04:00

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# Contexts
GPUI makes extensive use of _context parameters_, typically named `cx` and positioned at the end of the parameter list, unless they're before a final function parameter. A context reference provides access to application state and services.
There are multiple kinds of contexts, and contexts implement the `Deref` trait so that a function taking `&mut AppContext` could be passed a `&mut WindowContext` or `&mut ViewContext` instead.
```
AppContext
/ \
ModelContext WindowContext
/
ViewContext
```
- The `AppContext` forms the root of the hierarchy
- `ModelContext` and `WindowContext` both dereference to `AppContext`
- `ViewContext` dereferences to `WindowContext`
## `AppContext`
Provides access to the global application state. All other kinds of contexts ultimately deref to an `AppContext`. You can update a `Model<T>` by passing an `AppContext`, but you can't update a view. For that you need a `WindowContext`...
## `WindowContext`
Provides access to the state of an application window, and also derefs to an `AppContext`, so you can pass a window context reference to any method taking an app context. Obtain this context by calling `WindowHandle::update`.
## `ModelContext<T>`
Available when you create or update a `Model<T>`. It derefs to an `AppContext`, but also contains methods specific to the particular model, such as the ability to notify change observers or emit events.
## `ViewContext<V>`
Available when you create or update a `View<V>`. It derefs to a `WindowContext`, but also contains methods specific to the particular view, such as the ability to notify change observers or emit events.
## `AsyncAppContext` and `AsyncWindowContext`
Whereas the above contexts are always passed to your code as references, you can call `to_async` on the reference to create an async context, which has a static lifetime and can be held across `await` points in async code. When you interact with `Model`s or `View`s with an async context, the calls become fallible, because the context may outlive the window or even the app itself.
## `TestAppContext` and `TestVisualContext`
These are similar to the async contexts above, but they panic if you attempt to access a non-existent app or window, and they also contain other features specific to tests.