fp_library/types/

free.rs

//! Stack-safe Free monad over a functor with O(1) [`bind`](crate::functions::bind) operations.
//!
//! Enables building computation chains without stack overflow by using a catenable list of continuations. Note: requires `'static` types and cannot implement the library's HKT traits due to type erasure.
//!
//! ## Comparison with PureScript
//!
//! This implementation is based on the PureScript [`Control.Monad.Free`](https://github.com/purescript/purescript-free/blob/master/src/Control/Monad/Free.purs) module
//! and the ["Reflection without Remorse"](http://okmij.org/ftp/Haskell/zseq.pdf) technique. It shares the same core algorithmic properties (O(1) bind, stack safety)
//! but differs significantly in its intended use case and API surface.
//!
//! ### Key Differences
//!
//! 1. **Interpretation Strategy**:
//!    * **PureScript**: Designed as a generic Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) that can be interpreted into *any* target
//!      monad using `runFree` or `foldFree` by providing a natural transformation at runtime.
//!    * **Rust**: Designed primarily for **stack-safe execution** of computations. The interpretation logic is
//!      baked into the [`Evaluable`](crate::classes::Evaluable) trait implemented by the functor `F`.
//!      The [`Free::wrap`] method wraps a functor layer containing a Free computation.
//!
//! 2. **API Surface**:
//!    * **PureScript**: Rich API including `liftF`, `hoistFree`, `resume`, `foldFree`.
//!    * **Rust**: Focused API with construction (`pure`, `wrap`, `lift_f`, `bind`) and execution (`evaluate`).
//!      * `resume` is missing (cannot inspect the computation step-by-step).
//!      * `hoistFree` is missing.
//!
//! 3. **Terminology**:
//!    * Rust's `Free::wrap` corresponds to PureScript's `wrap`.
//!
//! ### Capabilities and Limitations
//!
//! **What it CAN do:**
//! * Provide stack-safe recursion for monadic computations (trampolining).
//! * Prevent stack overflows when chaining many `bind` operations.
//! * Execute self-describing effects (like [`Thunk`](crate::types::Thunk)).
//!
//! **What it CANNOT do (easily):**
//! * Act as a generic DSL where the interpretation is decoupled from the operation type.
//!   * *Example*: You cannot easily define a `DatabaseOp` enum and interpret it differently for
//!     production (SQL) and testing (InMemory) using this `Free` implementation, because
//!     `DatabaseOp` must implement a single `Runnable` trait.
//! * Inspect the structure of the computation (introspection) via `resume`.
//!
//! ### Lifetimes and Memory Management
//!
//! * **PureScript**: Relies on a garbage collector and `unsafeCoerce`. This allows it to ignore
//!   lifetimes and ownership, enabling a simpler implementation that supports all types.
//! * **Rust**: Relies on ownership and `Box<dyn Any>` for type erasure. `Any` requires `'static`
//!   to ensure memory safety (preventing use-after-free of references). This forces `Free` to
//!   only work with `'static` types, preventing it from implementing the library's HKT traits
//!   which require lifetime polymorphism.
//!
//! ### Examples
//!
//! ```
//! use fp_library::{
//! 	brands::*,
//! 	types::*,
//! };
//!
//! // ✅ CAN DO: Stack-safe recursion
//! let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42).bind(|x| Free::pure(x + 1));
//! ```

#[fp_macros::document_module]
mod inner {
	use {
		crate::{
			Apply,
			brands::ThunkBrand,
			classes::{
				Deferrable,
				Evaluable,
				Functor,
			},
			kinds::*,
			types::{
				CatList,
				Thunk,
			},
		},
		fp_macros::*,
		std::{
			any::Any,
			marker::PhantomData,
		},
	};

	/// A type-erased value for internal use.
	///
	/// This type alias represents a value whose type has been erased to [`Box<dyn Any>`].
	/// It is used within the internal implementation of [`Free`] to allow for
	/// heterogeneous chains of computations in the [`CatList`].
	pub type TypeErasedValue = Box<dyn Any>;

	/// A type-erased continuation.
	///
	/// This type alias represents a function that takes a [`TypeErasedValue`]
	/// and returns a new [`Free`] computation (also type-erased).
	#[document_type_parameters("The base functor.")]
	pub type Continuation<F> = Box<dyn FnOnce(TypeErasedValue) -> Free<F, TypeErasedValue>>;

	/// The internal representation of the [`Free`] monad.
	///
	/// This enum encodes the structure of the free monad, supporting
	/// pure values, suspended computations, and efficient concatenation of binds.
	#[document_type_parameters(
		"The base functor (must implement [`Functor`]).",
		"The result type."
	)]
	pub enum FreeInner<F, A>
	where
		F: Functor + 'static,
		A: 'static, {
		/// A pure value.
		///
		/// This variant represents a computation that has finished and produced a value.
		Pure(A),

		/// A suspended computation.
		///
		/// This variant represents a computation that is suspended in the functor `F`.
		/// The functor contains the next step of the computation.
		Wrap(Apply!(<F as Kind!( type Of<'a, T: 'a>: 'a; )>::Of<'static, Free<F, A>>)),

		/// A bind operation.
		///
		/// This variant represents a computation followed by a sequence of continuations.
		/// It uses a [`CatList`] to store continuations, ensuring O(1) append complexity
		/// for left-associated binds.
		Bind {
			/// The initial computation.
			head: Box<Free<F, TypeErasedValue>>,
			/// The list of continuations to apply to the result of `head`.
			continuations: CatList<Continuation<F>>,
			/// Phantom data for type parameter `A`.
			_marker: PhantomData<A>,
		},
	}

	/// The Free monad with O(1) bind via [`CatList`].
	///
	/// This implementation follows ["Reflection without Remorse"](http://okmij.org/ftp/Haskell/zseq.pdf) to ensure
	/// that left-associated binds do not degrade performance.
	///
	/// # HKT and Lifetime Limitations
	///
	/// `Free` does not implement HKT traits (like `Functor`, `Monad`) from this library.
	///
	/// ## The Conflict
	/// * **The Traits**: The `Kind` trait implemented by the `Functor` hierarchy requires the type
	///   constructor to accept *any* lifetime `'a` (e.g., `type Of<'a, A> = Free<F, A>`).
	/// * **The Implementation**: This implementation uses [`Box<dyn Any>`] to type-erase continuations
	///   for the "Reflection without Remorse" optimization. `dyn Any` strictly requires `A: 'static`.
	///
	/// This creates an unresolvable conflict: `Free` cannot support non-static references (like `&'a str`),
	/// so it cannot satisfy the `Kind` signature.
	///
	/// ## Why not use the "Naive" Recursive Definition?
	///
	/// A naive definition (`enum Free { Pure(A), Wrap(F<Box<Free<F, A>>>) }`) would support lifetimes
	/// and HKT traits. However, it was rejected because:
	/// 1.  **Stack Safety**: `run` would not be stack-safe for deep computations.
	/// 2.  **Performance**: `bind` would be O(N), leading to quadratic complexity for sequences of binds.
	///
	/// This implementation prioritizes **stack safety** and **O(1) bind** over HKT trait compatibility.
	#[document_type_parameters(
		"The base functor (must implement [`Functor`]).",
		"The result type."
	)]
	///
	pub struct Free<F, A>(pub(crate) Option<FreeInner<F, A>>)
	where
		F: Functor + 'static,
		A: 'static;

	#[document_type_parameters("The base functor.", "The result type.")]
	#[document_parameters("The Free monad instance to operate on.")]
	impl<F, A> Free<F, A>
	where
		F: Functor + 'static,
		A: 'static,
	{
		/// Creates a pure `Free` value.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		#[document_parameters("The value to wrap.")]
		///
		#[document_returns("A `Free` computation that produces `a`.")]
		///
		#[inline]
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		/// assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
		/// ```
		pub fn pure(a: A) -> Self {
			Free(Some(FreeInner::Pure(a)))
		}

		/// Creates a suspended computation from a functor value.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		#[document_parameters("The functor value containing the next step.")]
		///
		#[document_returns("A `Free` computation that performs the effect `fa`.")]
		///
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// let eval = Thunk::new(|| Free::pure(42));
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::wrap(eval);
		/// assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
		/// ```
		pub fn wrap(
			fa: Apply!(<F as Kind!( type Of<'a, T: 'a>: 'a; )>::Of<'static, Free<F, A>>)
		) -> Self {
			Free(Some(FreeInner::Wrap(fa)))
		}

		/// Lifts a functor value into the Free monad.
		///
		/// This is the primary way to inject effects into Free monad computations.
		/// Equivalent to PureScript's `liftF` and Haskell's `liftF`.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		/// ### Implementation
		///
		/// ```text
		/// liftF fa = wrap (map pure fa)
		/// ```
		#[document_parameters("The functor value to lift.")]
		///
		#[document_returns("A `Free` computation that performs the effect and returns the result.")]
		///
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// // Lift a simple computation
		/// let thunk = Thunk::new(|| 42);
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(thunk);
		/// assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
		///
		/// // Build a computation from raw effects
		/// let computation = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(Thunk::new(|| 10))
		/// 	.bind(|x| Free::lift_f(Thunk::new(move || x * 2)))
		/// 	.bind(|x| Free::lift_f(Thunk::new(move || x + 5)));
		/// assert_eq!(computation.evaluate(), 25);
		/// ```
		pub fn lift_f(fa: Apply!(<F as Kind!( type Of<'a, T: 'a>: 'a; )>::Of<'static, A>)) -> Self {
			// Map the value to a pure Free, then wrap it
			Free::wrap(F::map(Free::pure, fa))
		}

		/// Monadic bind with O(1) complexity.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		#[document_type_parameters("The result type of the new computation.")]
		///
		#[document_parameters("The function to apply to the result of this computation.")]
		///
		#[document_returns("A new `Free` computation that chains `f` after this computation.")]
		///
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42).bind(|x| Free::pure(x + 1));
		/// assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 43);
		/// ```
		pub fn bind<B: 'static>(
			mut self,
			f: impl FnOnce(A) -> Free<F, B> + 'static,
		) -> Free<F, B> {
			// Type-erase the continuation
			let erased_f: Continuation<F> = Box::new(move |val: TypeErasedValue| {
				// SAFETY: type is maintained by internal invariant - mismatch indicates a bug
				#[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
				let a: A = *val.downcast().expect("Type mismatch in Free::bind");
				let free_b: Free<F, B> = f(a);
				free_b.erase_type()
			});

			// Extract inner safely
			// SAFETY: Free values are used exactly once - double consumption indicates a bug
			#[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
			let inner = self.0.take().expect("Free value already consumed");

			match inner {
				// Pure: create a Bind with this continuation
				FreeInner::Pure(a) => {
					let head: Free<F, TypeErasedValue> = Free::pure(a).erase_type();
					Free(Some(FreeInner::Bind {
						head: Box::new(head),
						continuations: CatList::singleton(erased_f),
						_marker: PhantomData,
					}))
				}

				// Wrap: wrap in a Bind
				FreeInner::Wrap(fa) => {
					let head = Free::wrap(fa).boxed_erase_type();
					Free(Some(FreeInner::Bind {
						head,
						continuations: CatList::singleton(erased_f),
						_marker: PhantomData,
					}))
				}

				// Bind: snoc the new continuation onto the CatList (O(1)!)
				FreeInner::Bind {
					head,
					continuations: conts,
					..
				} => Free(Some(FreeInner::Bind {
					head,
					continuations: conts.snoc(erased_f),
					_marker: PhantomData,
				})),
			}
		}

		/// Converts to type-erased form.
		#[document_signature]
		#[document_returns(
			"A `Free` computation where the result type has been erased to `Box<dyn Any>`."
		)]
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		/// let erased = free.erase_type();
		/// assert!(erased.evaluate().is::<i32>());
		/// ```
		pub fn erase_type(mut self) -> Free<F, TypeErasedValue> {
			// SAFETY: Free values are used exactly once - double consumption indicates a bug
			#[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
			let inner = self.0.take().expect("Free value already consumed");

			match inner {
				FreeInner::Pure(a) => Free(Some(FreeInner::Pure(Box::new(a) as TypeErasedValue))),
				FreeInner::Wrap(fa) => {
					// Map over the functor to erase the inner type
					let erased = F::map(|inner: Free<F, A>| inner.erase_type(), fa);
					Free(Some(FreeInner::Wrap(erased)))
				}
				FreeInner::Bind {
					head,
					continuations,
					..
				} => Free(Some(FreeInner::Bind {
					head,
					continuations,
					_marker: PhantomData,
				})),
			}
		}

		/// Converts to boxed type-erased form.
		#[document_signature]
		#[document_returns("A boxed `Free` computation where the result type has been erased.")]
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		/// let boxed = free.boxed_erase_type();
		/// assert!(boxed.evaluate().is::<i32>());
		/// ```
		pub fn boxed_erase_type(self) -> Box<Free<F, TypeErasedValue>> {
			Box::new(self.erase_type())
		}

		/// Executes the Free computation, returning the final result.
		///
		/// This is the "trampoline" that iteratively processes the
		/// [`CatList`] of continuations without growing the stack.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		#[document_returns("The final result of the computation.")]
		///
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		/// assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
		/// ```
		pub fn evaluate(self) -> A
		where
			F: Evaluable, {
			// Start with a type-erased version
			let mut current: Free<F, TypeErasedValue> = self.erase_type();
			let mut continuations: CatList<Continuation<F>> = CatList::empty();

			loop {
				// SAFETY: Free values are used exactly once - double consumption indicates a bug
				#[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
				let inner = current.0.take().expect("Free value already consumed");

				match inner {
					FreeInner::Pure(val) => {
						// Try to apply the next continuation
						match continuations.uncons() {
							Some((continuation, rest)) => {
								current = continuation(val);
								continuations = rest;
							}
							None => {
								// No more continuations - we're done!
								// SAFETY: type is maintained by internal invariant - mismatch indicates a bug
								#[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
								return *val
									.downcast::<A>()
									.expect("Type mismatch in Free::evaluate final downcast");
							}
						}
					}

					FreeInner::Wrap(fa) => {
						// Run the effect to get the inner Free
						current = <F as Evaluable>::evaluate(fa);
					}

					FreeInner::Bind {
						head,
						continuations: inner_continuations,
						..
					} => {
						// Merge the inner continuations with outer ones
						// This is where CatList's O(1) append shines!
						current = *head;
						continuations = inner_continuations.append(continuations);
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}

	#[document_type_parameters("The base functor.", "The result type.")]
	#[document_parameters("The free monad instance to drop.")]
	impl<F, A> Drop for Free<F, A>
	where
		F: Functor + 'static,
		A: 'static,
	{
		#[document_signature]
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		/// {
		/// 	let _free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		/// } // drop called here
		/// assert!(true);
		/// ```
		fn drop(&mut self) {
			// We take the inner value out.
			let inner = self.0.take();

			// If the top level is a Bind, we need to start the iterative drop chain.
			if let Some(FreeInner::Bind {
				mut head, ..
			}) = inner
			{
				// head is Box<Free<F, TypeEraseValue>>.
				// We take its inner value to continue the chain.
				// From now on, everything is typed as FreeInner<F, TypeEraseValue>.
				let mut current = head.0.take();

				while let Some(FreeInner::Bind {
					mut head, ..
				}) = current
				{
					current = head.0.take();
				}
			}
		}
	}

	#[document_type_parameters("The result type.")]
	impl<A: 'static> Deferrable<'static> for Free<ThunkBrand, A> {
		/// Creates a `Free` computation from a thunk.
		///
		/// This delegates to `Free::wrap` and `Thunk::new`.
		#[document_signature]
		///
		#[document_parameters("A thunk that produces the free computation.")]
		///
		#[document_returns("The deferred free computation.")]
		///
		#[document_examples]
		///
		/// ```
		/// use fp_library::{
		/// 	brands::*,
		/// 	classes::Deferrable,
		/// 	functions::*,
		/// 	types::*,
		/// };
		///
		/// let task: Free<ThunkBrand, i32> = Deferrable::defer(|| Free::pure(42));
		/// assert_eq!(task.evaluate(), 42);
		/// ```
		fn defer(f: impl FnOnce() -> Self + 'static) -> Self
		where
			Self: Sized, {
			Self::wrap(Thunk::new(f))
		}
	}
}
pub use inner::*;

#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
	use {
		super::*,
		crate::{
			brands::ThunkBrand,
			types::thunk::Thunk,
		},
	};

	/// Tests `Free::pure`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `pure` creates a computation that simply returns the provided value.
	/// **How it tests:** Constructs a `Free::pure(42)` and runs it, asserting the result is 42.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_pure() {
		let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42);
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
	}

	/// Tests `Free::roll`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `roll` creates a computation from a suspended effect.
	/// **How it tests:** Wraps a `Free::pure(42)` inside a `Thunk`, rolls it into a `Free`, and runs it to ensure it unwraps correctly.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_roll() {
		let eval = Thunk::new(|| Free::pure(42));
		let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::wrap(eval);
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
	}

	/// Tests `Free::bind`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `bind` correctly chains computations and passes values between them.
	/// **How it tests:** Chains `pure(42) -> bind(+1) -> bind(*2)` and asserts the result is (42+1)*2 = 86.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_bind() {
		let free =
			Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::pure(42).bind(|x| Free::pure(x + 1)).bind(|x| Free::pure(x * 2));
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 86);
	}

	/// Tests stack safety of `Free::evaluate`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `run` can handle deep recursion without stack overflow (trampolining).
	/// **How it tests:** Creates a recursive `count_down` function that builds a chain of 100,000 `bind` calls.
	/// If the implementation were not stack-safe, this would crash with a stack overflow.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_stack_safety() {
		fn count_down(n: i32) -> Free<ThunkBrand, i32> {
			if n == 0 { Free::pure(0) } else { Free::pure(n).bind(|n| count_down(n - 1)) }
		}

		// 100,000 iterations should overflow stack if not safe
		let free = count_down(100_000);
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 0);
	}

	/// Tests stack safety of `Free::drop`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that dropping a deep `Free` computation does not cause a stack overflow.
	/// **How it tests:** Constructs a deep `Free` chain (similar to `test_free_stack_safety`) and lets it go out of scope.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_drop_safety() {
		fn count_down(n: i32) -> Free<ThunkBrand, i32> {
			if n == 0 { Free::pure(0) } else { Free::pure(n).bind(|n| count_down(n - 1)) }
		}

		// Construct a deep chain but DO NOT run it.
		// When `free` goes out of scope, `Drop` should handle it iteratively.
		let _free = count_down(100_000);
	}

	/// Tests `Free::bind` on a `Wrap` variant.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `bind` works correctly when applied to a suspended computation (`Wrap`).
	/// **How it tests:** Creates a `Wrap` (via `wrap`) and `bind`s it.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_bind_on_wrap() {
		let eval = Thunk::new(|| Free::pure(42));
		let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::wrap(eval).bind(|x| Free::pure(x + 1));
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 43);
	}

	/// Tests `Free::lift_f`.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `lift_f` correctly lifts a functor value into the Free monad.
	/// **How it tests:** Lifts a simple thunk and verifies the result.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_lift_f() {
		let thunk = Thunk::new(|| 42);
		let free = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(thunk);
		assert_eq!(free.evaluate(), 42);
	}

	/// Tests `Free::lift_f` with bind.
	///
	/// **What it tests:** Verifies that `lift_f` can be used to build computations with `bind`.
	/// **How it tests:** Chains multiple `lift_f` calls with `bind`.
	#[test]
	fn test_free_lift_f_with_bind() {
		let computation = Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(Thunk::new(|| 10))
			.bind(|x| Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(Thunk::new(move || x * 2)))
			.bind(|x| Free::<ThunkBrand, _>::lift_f(Thunk::new(move || x + 5)));
		assert_eq!(computation.evaluate(), 25);
	}
}