Category Theory for Programming
Benedikt Ahrens, Kobe Wullaert
TL;DR
This work studies initial algebras, which provide a mathematical characterization of datatypes and recursive functions on them, and monads, which give a mathematical framework for effects in functional languages.
Abstract
In these lecture notes, we give a brief introduction to some elements of category theory. The choice of topics is guided by applications to functional programming. Firstly, we study initial algebras, which provide a mathematical characterization of datatypes and recursive functions on them. Secondly, we study monads, which give a mathematical framework for effects in functional languages. The notes include many problems and solutions.