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A very simple free monad

You might have heard that a "free" monad can be created from any functor. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much if you're not already familiar with category theory. This example creates a free monad from a simple functor types

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/// Canonical list definition, just for comparison.
type List<'item> =
    | Cons of 'item * List<'item>
    | Nil

/// A link consists of an item followed by a tail of some type.
type Link<'item, 'tail> =

    /// Just like Cons, but not recursive.
    | Link of 'item * 'tail

    /// Just like Nil.
    | Done

module Link =

    /// An example of length 0.
    let example0 = Done

    /// An example of length 1.
    let example1 = Link ('A', Done)

    /// An example of length 2.
    let example2 = Link ('A', Link ('B', Done))

    /// We can map over a link (which means it's a functor). Since the item
    /// and the tail are two different types, we choose to leave the item
    /// alone and map over the tail.
    let map f = function
        | Link (item, tail) -> Link (item, f tail)
        | Done -> Done

/// A recursive chain of links (i.e. its free monad).
type Chain<'item, 'next> =

    /// Link's "fixed point".
    | Free of Link<'item, Chain<'item, 'next>>

    /// Lifts a value directly into the monad.
    | Pure of 'next

module Chain =

    /// Binds two chains together.
    let rec bind f = function
        | Free link ->
            link
                |> Link.map (bind f)   // pass the given function along to the next link
                |> Free
        | Pure next -> f next          // we're at the end: glue the two chains together

/// Workflow builder for chains.
type ChainBuilder() =
    member __.Bind(chain, func) = chain |> Chain.bind func
    member __.Return(value) = Pure value
    member __.ReturnFrom(value) = value
    member __.Zero() = Pure ()

/// Workflow builder for chains.
let chain = ChainBuilder()

/// Creates a one-link chain with the given item, ready for binding.
let toChain item =
    Free (Link (item, Pure ()))

/// Example: Creates a chain the verbose way.
let chainPlain =
    toChain 'A'
        |> Chain.bind (fun () -> toChain 'B')   // replace chain A's tail with chain B

/// Example: Creates a chain using the builder.
let chainSugar =
    chain {
        do! toChain 'A'
        do! toChain 'B'
        return ()
    }

/// These two chains are the same.
///
/// Output:
/// Free (Link ('A', Free (Link ('B', Pure ()))))
/// Free (Link ('A', Free (Link ('B', Pure ()))))
[<EntryPoint>]
let main argv =
    printfn "%A" chainPlain
    printfn "%A" chainSugar
    0

// For more information:
// * http://www.haskellforall.com/2012/06/you-could-have-invented-free-monads.html
// * https://blog.ploeh.dk/2017/08/07/f-free-monad-recipe/

Multiple items
module List

from Microsoft.FSharp.Collections

--------------------
type List<'T> =
  | ( [] )
  | ( :: ) of Head: 'T * Tail: 'T list
  interface IEnumerable
  interface IEnumerable<'T>
  member GetSlice : startIndex:int option * endIndex:int option -> 'T list
  member Head : 'T
  member IsEmpty : bool
  member Item : index:int -> 'T with get
  member Length : int
  member Tail : 'T list
  static member Cons : head:'T * tail:'T list -> 'T list
  static member Empty : 'T list

Full name: Microsoft.FSharp.Collections.List<_>

union case List.Cons: 'item * List<'item> -> List<'item>

Multiple items
module List

from Microsoft.FSharp.Collections

--------------------
type List<'item> =
| Cons of 'item * List<'item>
| Nil

Full name: Script.List<_>

Canonical list definition, just for comparison.

union case List.Nil: List<'item>

Multiple items
union case Link.Link: 'item * 'tail -> Link<'item,'tail>

Just like Cons, but not recursive.

--------------------
type Link<'item,'tail> =
| Link of 'item * 'tail
| Done

Full name: Script.Link<_,_>

A link consists of an item followed by a tail of some type.

union case Link.Done: Link<'item,'tail>

Just like Nil.

type Link<'item,'tail> =
| Link of 'item * 'tail
| Done

Full name: Script.Link<_,_>

A link consists of an item followed by a tail of some type.

val example0 : Link<'a,'b>

Full name: Script.Link.example0

An example of length 0.

val example1 : Link<char,Link<'a,'b>>

Full name: Script.Link.example1

An example of length 1.

val example2 : Link<char,Link<char,Link<'a,'b>>>

Full name: Script.Link.example2

An example of length 2.

val map : f:('a -> 'b) -> _arg1:Link<'c,'a> -> Link<'c,'b>

Full name: Script.Link.map

We can map over a link (which means it's a functor). Since the item
and the tail are two different types, we choose to leave the item
alone and map over the tail.

val f : ('a -> 'b)

val item : 'c

val tail : 'a

type Chain<'item,'next> =
| Free of Link<'item,Chain<'item,'next>>
| Pure of 'next

Full name: Script.Chain<_,_>

A recursive chain of links (i.e. its free monad).

union case Chain.Free: Link<'item,Chain<'item,'next>> -> Chain<'item,'next>

Link's "fixed point".

Multiple items
union case Link.Link: 'item * 'tail -> Link<'item,'tail>

Just like Cons, but not recursive.

--------------------
module Link

from Script

--------------------
type Link<'item,'tail> =
| Link of 'item * 'tail
| Done

Full name: Script.Link<_,_>

A link consists of an item followed by a tail of some type.

union case Chain.Pure: 'next -> Chain<'item,'next>

Lifts a value directly into the monad.

val bind : f:('a -> Chain<'b,'c>) -> _arg1:Chain<'b,'a> -> Chain<'b,'c>

Full name: Script.Chain.bind

Binds two chains together.

val f : ('a -> Chain<'b,'c>)

val link : Link<'b,Chain<'b,'a>>

val next : 'a

Multiple items
type ChainBuilder =
  new : unit -> ChainBuilder
  member Bind : chain:Chain<'e,'f> * func:('f -> Chain<'e,'g>) -> Chain<'e,'g>
  member Return : value:'c -> Chain<'d,'c>
  member ReturnFrom : value:'b -> 'b
  member Zero : unit -> Chain<'a,unit>

Full name: Script.ChainBuilder

Workflow builder for chains.

--------------------
new : unit -> ChainBuilder

member ChainBuilder.Bind : chain:Chain<'e,'f> * func:('f -> Chain<'e,'g>) -> Chain<'e,'g>

Full name: Script.ChainBuilder.Bind

val chain : Chain<'e,'f>

val func : ('f -> Chain<'e,'g>)

Multiple items
module Chain

from Script

--------------------
type Chain<'item,'next> =
| Free of Link<'item,Chain<'item,'next>>
| Pure of 'next

Full name: Script.Chain<_,_>

A recursive chain of links (i.e. its free monad).

val __ : ChainBuilder

member ChainBuilder.Return : value:'c -> Chain<'d,'c>

Full name: Script.ChainBuilder.Return

val value : 'c

member ChainBuilder.ReturnFrom : value:'b -> 'b

Full name: Script.ChainBuilder.ReturnFrom

val value : 'b

member ChainBuilder.Zero : unit -> Chain<'a,unit>

Full name: Script.ChainBuilder.Zero

val chain : ChainBuilder

Full name: Script.chain

Workflow builder for chains.

val toChain : item:'a -> Chain<'a,unit>

Full name: Script.toChain

Creates a one-link chain with the given item, ready for binding.

val item : 'a

val chainPlain : Chain<char,unit>

Full name: Script.chainPlain

Example: Creates a chain the verbose way.

val chainSugar : Chain<char,unit>

Full name: Script.chainSugar

Example: Creates a chain using the builder.

Multiple items
type EntryPointAttribute =
inherit Attribute
new : unit -> EntryPointAttribute

Full name: Microsoft.FSharp.Core.EntryPointAttribute

--------------------
new : unit -> EntryPointAttribute

val main : argv:string [] -> int

Full name: Script.main

These two chains are the same.

Output:
Free (Link ('A', Free (Link ('B', Pure ()))))
Free (Link ('A', Free (Link ('B', Pure ()))))

val argv : string []

val printfn : format:Printf.TextWriterFormat<'T> -> 'T

Full name: Microsoft.FSharp.Core.ExtraTopLevelOperators.printfn

Raw view Test code New version

More information

Link:	http://fssnip.net/7XM
Posted:	4 years ago
Author:	Brian Berns
Tags:	builder , workflow , #functor , #monad , free