[shikoba]

> Functor = context for running a single-input function

No a functor is a "function" over types that can transport the arrows:

(A -> B) -> (F A -> F B) for a covariant functor

(A -> B) -> (F B -> F A) for a contravariant functor

With the sum and product there is also the exponential:

B^A = functions from A to B

[stillkicking]

This explanation is useless imo because it expects the reader to already understand the weirdest part:

"If I have a function A -> B, how could I possibly get something that goes in the direction F B -> F A out of it?"

The answer to this is: given e.g. a function that accepts a B, i.e. `B -> ...` you can compose it with `A -> B` on the _input side_, to get a function that accepts an A, i.e. `A -> B` (+) `B -> ...` = `A -> ...`.

Once you've managed to get that across, you can start talking about contravariant functors. But expecting people to just intuit that from the condensed type signature is pedagogical nonsense.

[shikoba]

Saying without examples is a pedagogical nonsense, I can't argue, because I agree.

But if I provide the two typical examples Hom(A,) and Home(,A) and how they transport the arrows it starts to click.

There is also List which is a covariant functor. The stupid Home(unit,) which is the "identity" functor.

I could also add Hom(Bool,) which is the pair functor, ie Hom(Bool,A) is a tuple in AxA. A->AxA (or A->Him(Bool, A)) is a covariant functor.

Etc. Examples are the keys to understand the idea.

[mjburgess]

In my simple language, `F` is that context. And (A->B) is a single-argument function.

   // Int -> Float
   oneArgFn(x) = x + 1.1

   // List of Int -> List of Float
   ctxOneArgFn(xs) = ListFunctor(oneArgFn, xs) //ie., map()

[reuben364]

Single-argument doesn't capture the difference between functor and applicative.

  ex1 :: Functor f => f (Int, Int) -> f Int
  ex1 = map (uncurry (+))

Applies a multi-argument function within a functor. What applicative allows you do is take a product of contexts to a context of products, and lift a value to a context.

  pure :: a -> f a
  zip :: (Applicative f) => (f a, f b) -> f (a, b)

This can then be used to make ex1 into a multi-argument function of contexts, which is not the same as (uncurry (+)) being a multi-argument function

  ex2 :: (Functor f) => (f Int, f Int) -> f Int
  ex2 = ex1 . zip

[mjburgess]

Sure, it's a particular interpretation of `(f a, f b) -> f (a, b)`

    (a, b) is an a -> b
    (f a, f b) is an f a -> f b

Applicative, over an above this, is really just useful when you have (f a, f b, f c, ..)

[shikoba]

You're just reducing my idea to a specific case. You missed the generalized idea.

[init0]

Send a PR to fix it!

[shikoba]

There are so many things to fix. And they should have use coq as default language.