eff-ts

An effect handler implementation using JavaScript/TypeScript Generators that mimics OCaml's deep effect handlers.

A basic example

Here is explained how to define and use effects using Defer as an example. The full code is available in examples/defer.ts.

1. Define an effect by extending the Effect class. Effect takes a type parameter that represents the return type of the effectful computation, void in this case.

   class Defer extends Effect<void> {
     // Defer carries a nullary function that will be invoked later.
     thunk: () => void;
     constructor(thunk: () => void) {
       super();
       this.thunk = thunk;
     }
   }

2. Define a helper function that simply performs the Defer effect defined above.

   const defer = (thunk: () => void) => perform(new Defer(thunk));

3. Define a handler for the Defer effect using matchWith. matchWith is like try-catch in JavaScript, but for effects.

   function runDefer<T>(comp: Effectful<E, T>) {
     // Save thunks to be executed later.
     const thunks: (() => void)[] = [];

   The matchWith function takes two arguments. The first argument is the effectful computation to be handled.

     return matchWith(comp, {

   The second argument is an object that contains three handlers: retc, exnc, and effc. retc is the value handler, which is called when the computation returns a value. In this Defer example, execute the saved thunks then return the value as is.

       retc(x) {
         thunks.forEach((thunk) => thunk());
         return x;
       },

   exnc is the exception handler, which is called when the computation throws an exception. Here, like retc, execute the saved thunks then rethrow the exception.

       exnc(exn) {
         thunks.forEach((thunk) => thunk());
         throw exn;
       },

   effc is the effect handler, which gets called when the computation performs effects. on, the argument of effc, is for registering handlers for each effect. The first argument of on is the constructor of an effect (say E) and the second argument is a handler function that takes an effect value of type E and its continuation. In this example, save the thunk carried before resuming the computation. Note that you do not need to handle all of effects in one handler. Effects not handled are passed to the surrounding handler.

       effc(on) {
         on(Defer, (eff: Defer, cont: Continuation<void, T>) => {
           thunks.unshift(eff.thunk);
           return cont.continue();
         });
       },
     });
   }

   Here is the full code for the runDefer function.

   function runDefer<T>(comp: Effectful<E, T>) {
     // Save thunks to be executed later.
     const thunks: (() => void)[] = [];
     return matchWith(comp, {
       retc(x) {
         thunks.forEach((thunk) => thunk());
         return x;
       },
       exnc(exn) {
         thunks.forEach((thunk) => thunk());
         throw exn;
       },
       effc(on) {
         // The type annotaion for the handler function is optional as it can be inferred.
         on(Defer, (eff, cont) => {
           thunks.unshift(eff.thunk);
           return cont.continue();
         });
       },
     });
   }

4. Now you are ready to use the Defer effect. Define an effectful computation using generator functions. Use the yield* keword to perform effects like the await keyword in async functions.

   function* main(): Effectful<void> {
     console.log("counting");
   
     for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
       yield* defer(() => console.log(i));
     }
   
     console.log("done");
   }

5. Finally, run the effectful computation using the runEffectful function after wrapping it with the handler.

   runEffectful(runDefer(main()));
   /* Output:
   counting
   done
   9
   8
   7
   6
   5
   4
   3
   2
   1
   0
   */

For more examples, including the state effects, see the examples directory.

How does it work?

An effectful computation can be represented as a generator that yields effects.

🚧 TODO

Related works and references

• OCaml's manual for effect handlers
• Effect.Deep
• co
• susisu/effects

License

MIT License