What are applicatives in Haskell?

What are applicatives in Haskell?

Applicatives are a type class in Haskell that allow you to apply functions wrapped in a context to values wrapped in a context.

Can you give me an example of how to use applicatives?

Sure! Here's a simple example using the Maybe type:

import Control.Applicative

add :: Num a => Maybe a -> Maybe a -> Maybe a
add x y = (+) <$> x <*> y

result = add (Just 3) (Just 5)  -- This will give Just 8

What is the difference between functors and applicatives?

Functors allow you to apply a function to a value in a context, while applicatives let you apply functions that are also in a context to values in a context.

Are there any real-world applications of applicatives?

Yes, applicatives are often used in scenarios like validating user input, where you might want to combine multiple optional values.