Effect System
Noun · Development
Definitions
A type-level mechanism that tracks and controls the side effects a function may perform — such as I/O, exceptions, or state mutation. Languages like Koka, Unison, and Effekt have built-in effect systems.
In plain English: A way for the programming language to track what actions (like reading files or printing) each function is allowed to do, catching mistakes before you run the code.
Example: "The effect system guarantees this function only reads from the database and never writes — the compiler enforces it."
Related Terms
- Algebraic Data Type
- Class
- Derived Type
- Discriminant
- Discriminated Union
- Option Type
- Optional
- Pattern Matching
- Pipe Operator
- Predicate
- Proc
- Pure Function
- Reduction
- Tail Call
- Type Class
- Variant
- Algebraic Data Type
- Memoization
- Referential Transparency
- Pattern Guard
- Effect System
- Lens
- Partial Application
- Record Type
- Redux Saga