What is the Maybe type in Haskell and how do I use it?

Can you explain the Maybe type in Haskell and its purpose?

The Maybe type in Haskell is used to represent values that may or may not exist. It can be either Just a value or Nothing.

How do I use Maybe in a function?

You can use Maybe in functions by returning Just a value when successful or Nothing when there's no value. For example, a safe division function.

Can you show me an example of a safe division function using Maybe?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

safeDiv :: Int -> Int -> Maybe Int
safeDiv _ 0 = Nothing
safeDiv x y = Just (x `div` y)

This function returns Nothing if the divisor is zero.

What are some common patterns when working with Maybe?

Common patterns include using pattern matching, the maybe function, and the Monad instance for chaining operations.