Algebraic Data Types (ADTs) [tags] :: product software …

Discover the power and elegance of ADTs as you explore the posts in this tag index page. Uncover the features, benefits, and practical applications of ADTs to model complex data structures with precision. flexibility, and better static analysis.

What is an example of an Algebraic Data Type (ADT)?

An example of an algebraic data type (ADT) is the Maybe type, also known as the Option type. It denotes the idea of an optional value. The Maybe/Option type is used in languages like Haskell/Scala and has gained popularity in languages not usually considered to be functional like Rust.

The Maybe type provides several benefits in managing optional or nullable values in a type-safe manner. It helps prevent null pointer exceptions and undefined behavior, promoting code clarity and safety.

Using the Maybe type aligns with a functional programming style. It allows developers to chain computations together using monadic operations like =fmap= or =(>>=)= (bind), enhancing code expressiveness and facilitating error handling.

What is an Algebraic Data Type (ADT)?

An algebraic data type is a type consists of multiple data constructors, where each data constructor represents a different variant of the type. Data constructors serve as building blocks for destructuring and pattern matching and the union of constructors into the algebraic data type can offer improved static analysis depending on the language.

software Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Algebraic Data Types in TypeScript

Note: the code for the TypeScript (to help you follow along) is available here: Encoding Algebraic Data Types in TypeScript code Background Recently I've been reviewing TypeScript code at work. A common pattern I've observed in pull requests and some open source projects is a type that looks like the following: type FooTag = 'Bar' | 'Baz' | 'Qux'; type Foo<A> = { _tag : FooTag, /* Required for the 'Bar' tagged values of Foo */ …

software Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Algebraic Data Types: For the math(s) inclined

Unlock the mathematical elegance of algebraic data types (ADTs) and revolutionize your understanding of data modeling! Discover how algebraic principles can determine the cardinality of ADTs, allowing you to represent an astonishing number of values. Explore the power of sum types, where you can "sum up" the cardinalities of different data constructors to find the overall cardinality of the type. Dive into practical examples, such as representing colors with RGB and …

software Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Algebraic Data Types

Unlock the power of algebraic data types to revolutionize your programming! Discover the flexibility of sum types, also known as tagged unions, and product types, also called record types. Dive into Scala examples and see how algebraic data types provide exhaustive and type-safe constructions. Explore the hybrid sum-product types and their applications in modeling complex domains like social network notifications. With algebraic data types, you can build robust and expressive …