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# Promotion Rules

> Return the array [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] with the smallest size and closest "kind" to which array [data types][@stdlib/array/dtypes] can be **safely** cast.

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## Usage

```javascript
var promotionRules = require( '@stdlib/array/promotion-rules' );
```

#### promotionRules( \[dtype1, dtype2] )

If provided [data types][@stdlib/array/dtypes], returns the array [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] with the smallest size and closest "kind" to which array [data types][@stdlib/array/dtypes] can be **safely** cast.

```javascript
var out = promotionRules( 'float32', 'uint32' );
// returns 'float64'
```

If not provided [data types][@stdlib/array/dtypes], the function returns a promotion table.

```javascript
var out = promotionRules();
// returns {...}

var f32 = out[ 'float32' ];
// returns {...}

var rule = f32[ 'uint32' ];
// returns 'float64'
```

If provided an unrecognized or unsupported `dtype`, the function returns `null`.

```javascript
var out = promotionRules( 'foo', 'generic' );
// returns null
```

</section>

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## Notes

-   If a [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] to which [data types][@stdlib/array/dtypes] can be safely cast does **not** exist (or is not supported), the function returns `-1`.

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## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var dtypes = require( '@stdlib/array/dtypes' );
var promotionRules = require( '@stdlib/array/promotion-rules' );

var DTYPES;
var dt1;
var dt2;
var dt;
var i;
var j;

// Get the list of supported array data types:
DTYPES = dtypes();

// Print the promotion rule for each pair of array data types...
for ( i = 0; i < DTYPES.length; i++ ) {
    dt1 = DTYPES[ i ];
    for ( j = 0; j < DTYPES.length; j++ ) {
        dt2 = DTYPES[ j ];
        dt = promotionRules( dt1, dt2 );
        console.log( '(%s, %s) => %s', dt1, dt2, dt );
    }
}
```

</section>

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</section>

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* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/dtypes`][@stdlib/array/dtypes]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">list of array data types.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/safe-casts`][@stdlib/array/safe-casts]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return a list of array data types to which a provided array data type can be safely cast.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/ndarray/promotion-rules`][@stdlib/ndarray/promotion-rules]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the ndarray data type with the smallest size and closest kind to which ndarray data types can be safely cast.</span>

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[@stdlib/array/dtypes]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/dtypes

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[@stdlib/array/safe-casts]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/safe-casts

[@stdlib/ndarray/promotion-rules]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/ndarray-promotion-rules

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