# `Machete.Matchable`
[🔗](https://github.com/mtrudel/machete/blob/main/lib/machete/matchable.ex#L1)

Defines a protocol to determine how a given term may match against a type. The
`Machete.Matchable` protocol is central to the Machete library, and conformance to it is
necessary for any type to be used on the right hand side of a `~>` match

# `t`

```elixir
@type t() :: term()
```

All the types that implement this protocol.

# `mismatches`

```elixir
@spec mismatches(t(), term()) :: [Machete.Mismatch.t()] | nil
```

Examines the value of the passed term and returns the way(s) in which it does not conform to the
base type instance's requirements, expressed as a list of `Machete.Mismatch` structs. If there
are no such mismatches (that is, if the passed term 'matches' against the base type instance),
implementations of this protocol may return an empty list or `nil`; they are semantically
equivalent and are both allowed for ease of implementation. Implementors of this protocol may be interested in the `Machete.Mismatch.mismatch/2`
function to easily create mismatches

Note that the argument order to this function is the opposite of that for the `~>` and `~>>`
operators; conformance to this protocol is a property of the match, and not the term being
matched

---

*Consult [api-reference.md](api-reference.md) for complete listing*