What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? · HackerPapers discussions

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? — mentioned by hutao

Sat, 30 May 2026 15:54:48 GMT

Here is an article by Andrej Bauer answering the exact question, "What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers?": https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.05923v2 Contrary to the claim from the comment you are replying to, according to Andrej Bauer, "algebraic" does not refer to the composition of different algebraic effects via composing their handlers. When you see "algebra," think "algebraic structure," i.e., a set of operations and a set of equational laws on those operations. An algebraic effect consists of a set of effectful operations. In that sense, each algebraic effect (reader, state…

Paper and discussion history. A mention is not an endorsement.

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? — mentioned by oisdk

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:36:55 GMT

> For one, if algebraic isn't aiming at the ideas in an algebra, then they absolutely should be using a different name. Algebraic effects are certainly algebraic, they're just not directly related to algebraic data types. Both ideas are using "algebraic" at different levels, and I think trying to understand algebraic effects by referencing algebraic data types will be more confusing than helpful. > My point is that the "value" is not the written value of a variable in ways that people are used to working with in their program. I'm saying that (in algebraic effects) the "value" in question is…

Paper and discussion history. A mention is not an endorsement.

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? — mentioned by oisdk

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:32:32 GMT

I would encourage anyone interested in this question to check out the paper "What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers?" (https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.05923) which is a write-up of the lecture series linked in the post above. I don't think the paper is too difficult to understand, but I know that if you're not familiar with the subject area it might be intimidating. While I like the above blog post, I don't think that it will be very useful to people trying to understand algebraic effects. I see a lot of explainers like this one that shy away from some of the more gnarly-looking…

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What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? — HN submission

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:42:02 GMT

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers?

3 points; 0 discussion replies on HN. Paper and source history. A submission is not an endorsement.

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers? — mentioned by klysm

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 23:26:07 GMT

Obligatory link to “ What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers?” https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.05923

Paper and discussion history. A mention is not an endorsement.