Haskell Monads

This cluster centers on discussions about monads in Haskell, including the challenges of explaining them, critiques of the 'monoid in the category of endofunctors' definition, and requests for simpler tutorials or examples.

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Keywords

e.g github.io IO SPJ monads monad haskell category concepts complicated simple learn concept understanding

Sample Comments

chpatrick Jan 4, 2024 View on HN

It's simple, monads are just monoids in the category of endofunctors...

eru Jan 11, 2009 View on HN

Why are Monads considered difficult?

thanatropism Feb 20, 2018 View on HN

Monads are just monoids in the category of endofunctors. Don't complicate that too much!

ksherlock Sep 12, 2014 View on HN

Do haskell people realize that using haskell describe monads isn't actually helpful?

caoilte Nov 30, 2014 View on HN

If only you knew the power of monads.

smcl Sep 13, 2017 View on HN

People are awful at explaining Monad-related concepts. I think everyone starts with a reasonable explanation and then tweak it to be more succinct until they end up "a monad is just a monoid in the category of endofunctors"

BriggyDwiggs42 Jun 2, 2024 View on HN

I didn’t know anything about monads before, now I’m curious what the point of one is

spc476 Dec 30, 2021 View on HN

Can you describe a monad without using the words "functor", "applicative," "endofunctor" or using Haskel syntax to describe it?

zdw Oct 6, 2011 View on HN

Do you have/know of a similarly understandable description of monads, preferably with examples? I'd love to see one.

nyeah Jun 24, 2025 View on HN

Monads? I'll give you monads on your behind.