Algebraic Effects for the Rest of Us — overreacted
13 hours ago
- Algebraic effects allow 'resumable exceptions' using 'perform' and 'handle' instead of 'throw' and 'catch'.
- They enable asynchronous code without requiring intermediate functions to be marked async or generator, avoiding 'function color'.
- Effect handlers separate the 'what' (logic) from the 'how' (implementation), making code more modular and testable.
- In React, Suspense and Hooks approximate algebraic effects using throwing Promises and mutable dispatcher fields.
- Algebraic effects are a research feature, not yet production-ready, but offer a mental model for decoupling concerns.