What is the difference between Applicative and Monad in Haskell?

What is the difference between Applicative and Monad in Haskell?

In Haskell, both Applicative and Monad are type classes that deal with function application in a context. The key difference is that a Monad can handle computations that depend on previous results, while an Applicative cannot.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! For Applicative, consider the liftA2 function which applies a binary function in a context. For Monad, you can use the >>= operator to chain operations that depend on the result of the previous computation.

Why would I choose one over the other?

You would choose Applicative when your computations are independent and can be applied in parallel. Monad is preferred when the result of one computation influences the next.

Are there any performance differences?

Generally, Monads can introduce more overhead due to their chaining nature, while Applicatives can be more efficient when computations are independent.