docs.

src/random.rs

@@ -2,39 +2,88 @@
 // process of having to pick what multiplier and increment to use behind a
 // newtype that selects some default constants.
 
+/// A [Linear Congruential Generator][wp-lcg] with 32-bits of output.
+///
+/// [wp-lcg]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_congruential_generator
+///
+/// This holds a single `u32` as the state. Advancing the generator requires
+/// only a multiply and an add, so it's fairly fast as a PRNG. The output
+/// quality isn't particularly great as a result, and if you need less than 32
+/// bits of randomness at a time you're advised to use the *upper* bits from
+/// each output of this generator, which will be the better bits. The [Gen32]
+/// impl of this type will handle that for you, if you use that trait.
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
+// This particular `MUL` value comes from "Tables of linear congruential
+// generators of different sizes and good lattice structure" by Pierre L'Ecuyer.
+// We select 1 as the `ADD` value just to have an odd increment, and because
+// `ADD` values of 3 bits or less can be encoded with an immediate
+// instruction in both a32 and t32 code.
 pub struct Lcg32(GenericLcg32<32310901, 1>);
 impl Lcg32 {
+  /// Wraps the `u32` as an `Lcg32`.
+  ///
+  /// This doesn't do any manipulation of the input state to try and help seed
+  /// the value, it just uses the value directly.
   #[inline]
   pub const fn new(state: u32) -> Self {
     Self(GenericLcg32::new(state))
   }
+
+  /// Advances the generator one step, producing a `u32` of output.
   #[inline]
   pub fn next_u32(&mut self) -> u32 {
     self.0.next_u32()
   }
+
+  /// Advances the generator by `delta` steps all at once.
+  ///
+  /// Because the generator output sequence loops, large `delta` values allow
+  /// you to "reverse" the generator.
   #[inline]
   pub fn jump_state(&mut self, delta: u32) {
     self.0.jump_state(delta)
   }
 }
 
+/// A [Linear Congruential Generator][wp-lcg] with a const generic multiplier
+/// and increment.
+///
+/// [wp-lcg]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_congruential_generator
+///
+/// The `ADD` value can be any value at all. Different `ADD` values will reorder
+/// the sequence that you get from a particular `MUL` value. For best results
+/// `ADD` should be an odd value. An even `ADD` value gives a generator with a
+/// significantly shorter period than an odd `ADD` value.
+///
+/// The `MUL` value must be carefully selected, because it has an overwhelming
+/// impact on the generator's output quality. See the linked wikipedia article
+/// (and its references) if you want information on what `MUL` values you might
+/// want to use.
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
 struct GenericLcg32<const MUL: u32, const ADD: u32>(u32);
 impl<const MUL: u32, const ADD: u32> GenericLcg32<MUL, ADD> {
+  /// Wraps the `u32` as a generic LCG.
+  ///
+  /// This doesn't do any manipulation of the input state to try and help seed
+  /// the value, it just uses the value directly.
   #[inline]
   pub const fn new(state: u32) -> Self {
     Self(state)
   }
 
+  /// Advances the generator one step, producing a `u32` of output.
   #[inline]
   pub fn next_u32(&mut self) -> u32 {
     let next_state = self.0.wrapping_mul(MUL).wrapping_add(ADD);
     next_state
   }
 
+  /// Advances the generator by `delta` steps all at once.
+  ///
+  /// Because the generator output sequence loops, large `delta` values allow
+  /// you to "reverse" the generator.
   #[inline]
   pub fn jump_state(&mut self, mut delta: u32) {
     let mut cur_mult: u32 = MUL;
@@ -54,24 +103,34 @@ impl<const MUL: u32, const ADD: u32> GenericLcg32<MUL, ADD> {
   }
 }
 
+/// A trait for pseudorandom number generators that have `u32`
+/// output from each step of the generator.
 pub trait Gen32 {
+  /// Advance the generator to produce the next `u32`.
   fn next_u32(&mut self) -> u32;
 
+  /// Produce a `u16`.
   #[inline]
   fn next_u16(&mut self) -> u16 {
     (self.next_u32() >> 16) as u16
   }
 
+  /// Produce a `u8`.
   #[inline]
   fn next_u8(&mut self) -> u8 {
     (self.next_u32() >> 24) as u8
   }
 
+  /// Produce a `bool`.
   #[inline]
   fn next_bool(&mut self) -> bool {
     (self.next_u16() as i32) < 0
   }
 
+  /// Produce a value that's strictly less than `b`.
+  ///
+  /// ## Panics
+  /// * If `b` is zero.
   #[inline]
   #[track_caller]
   fn next_bounded(&mut self, b: u16) -> u16 {
@@ -91,34 +150,50 @@ pub trait Gen32 {
     high
   }
 
+  /// Pick a random element of the slice, by value.
+  ///
+  /// ## Panics
+  /// * If the length is 0.
   #[inline]
   fn pick<T: Copy>(&mut self, buf: &[T]) -> T {
     let len16: u16 = saturating_usize_as_u16(buf.len());
     buf[self.next_bounded(len16) as usize]
   }
 
+  /// Pick a random element of the slice, by shared reference.
+  ///
+  /// ## Panics
+  /// * If the length is 0.
   #[inline]
   fn pick_ref<'b, T>(&mut self, buf: &'b [T]) -> &'b T {
     let len16: u16 = saturating_usize_as_u16(buf.len());
     &buf[self.next_bounded(len16) as usize]
   }
 
+  /// Pick a random element of the slice, by unique reference.
+  ///
+  /// ## Panics
+  /// * If the length is 0.
   #[inline]
   fn pick_mut<'b, T>(&mut self, buf: &'b mut [T]) -> &'b mut T {
     let len16: u16 = saturating_usize_as_u16(buf.len());
     &mut buf[self.next_bounded(len16) as usize]
   }
 
+  /// Shuffles the elements of the slice.
+  ///
+  /// On an empty slice this is a no-op.
   #[inline]
   fn shuffle<T>(&mut self, buf: &mut [T]) {
-    let mut possibility_count: u16 = saturating_usize_as_u16(buf.len());
+    if let Some(end_index) = buf.len().checked_sub(1) {
-    let mut this_index: usize = 0;
+      let mut possibility_count: u16 = saturating_usize_as_u16(buf.len());
-    let end_index = buf.len() - 1;
+      let mut this_index: usize = 0;
-    while this_index < end_index {
+      while this_index < end_index {
-      let offset = self.next_bounded(possibility_count) as usize;
+        let offset = self.next_bounded(possibility_count) as usize;
-      buf.swap(this_index, this_index + offset);
+        buf.swap(this_index, this_index + offset);
-      possibility_count -= 1;
+        possibility_count -= 1;
-      this_index += 1;
+        this_index += 1;
+      }
     }
   }
 }