What are functors and monads in functional programming?

What are functors and monads in functional programming?

Functors are a type of mapping that allows you to apply a function to values wrapped in a context. Monads, on the other hand, are a design pattern that allows for chaining operations while managing side effects.

Can you give me an example of a functor?

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

What about monads? How do they differ from functors?

Monads can be thought of as a more powerful version of functors. They not only allow you to apply functions to wrapped values but also enable you to chain operations together using the bind function, which handles the context.

Can you explain the 'bind' function in more detail?

Certainly! The 'bind' function, often represented as >>=, takes a monadic value and a function that returns a monadic value. It allows you to sequence operations while keeping the context intact.