What are functors and higher-kinded types in functional programming?

What are functors in functional programming?

Functors are types that can be mapped over. They allow you to apply a function to values wrapped in a context, like lists or options.

Can you explain higher-kinded types?

Higher-kinded types are types that take other types as parameters. They enable more abstract and flexible programming patterns.

How do functors relate to higher-kinded types?

Functors can be seen as a specific case of higher-kinded types, where the type constructor takes one type argument.

Can you give an example of a functor in Haskell?

Sure! In Haskell, the Maybe type is a functor. You can use fmap to apply a function to the value inside a Maybe.