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Monad is a key concept of Functional Programming. A Monad is a design pattern which helps to represent a missing value. It allows to wrap a potential null value, allows to put transformation around it and pull actual value if present. By definition, a monad is a set of following parameters.
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A parametrized Type − M<T>
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A unit Function − T −> M<T>
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A bind operation − M<T> bind T −> M<U> = M<U>
Key Operations
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Left Identity − If a function is bind on a monad of a particular value then its result will be same as if function is applied to the value.
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Right Identity − If a monad return method is same as monad on original value.
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Associativity − Functions can be applied in any order on a monad.
Optional Class
Java 8 introduced Optional class which is a monad. It provides operational equivalent to a monad. For example return is a operation which takes a value and return the monad. Optional.of() takes a parameters and returns the Optional Object. On similar basis , bind is operation which binds a function to a monad to produce a monad. Optional.flatMap() is the method which performs an operation on Optional and return the result as Optional.
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A parametrized Type − Optional<T>
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A unit Function − Optional.of()
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A bind operation − Optional.flatMap()
Example − Left Identity
Following example shows how Optional class obeys Left Identity rule.
import java.util.Optional; import java.util.function.Function; public class FunctionTester { public static void main(String[] args) { Function<Integer, Optional<Integer>> addOneToX = x −> Optional.of(x + 1); System.out.println(Optional.of(5).flatMap(addOneToX) .equals(addOneToX.apply(5))); } }
Output
true
Example − Right Identity
Following example shows how Optional class obeys Right Identity rule.
import java.util.Optional; public class FunctionTester { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println(Optional.of(5).flatMap(Optional::of) .equals(Optional.of(5))); } }
Output
true
Example – Associativity
Following example shows how Optional class obeys Associativity rule.
import java.util.Optional; import java.util.function.Function; public class FunctionTester { public static void main(String[] args) { Function<Integer, Optional<Integer>> addOneToX = x −> Optional.of(x + 1); Function<Integer, Optional<Integer>> addTwoToX = x −> Optional.of(x + 2); Function<Integer, Optional<Integer>> addThreeToX = x −> addOneToX.apply(x).flatMap(addTwoToX); Optional.of(5).flatMap(addOneToX).flatMap(addTwoToX) .equals(Optional.of(5).flatMap(addThreeToX)); } }
Output
true
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