lens

Lens Generator Example

This example demonstrates the lens code generator for Go structs.

Overview

The lens generator automatically creates lens types for Go structs annotated with fp-go:Lens. Lenses provide a functional way to access and update nested immutable data structures.

Usage

1. Annotate Your Structs

Add the fp-go:Lens annotation in a comment above your struct declaration:

// fp-go:Lens
type Person struct {
    Name  string
    Age   int
    Email string
    Phone *string  // Pointer fields generate LensO (optional lens)
}

2. Generate Lens Code

Run the generator command:

go run ../../main.go lens --dir . --filename gen.go

Or use it as a go generate directive:

//go:generate go run ../../main.go lens --dir . --filename gen.go

3. Use the Generated Lenses

The generator creates:

• A <TypeName>Lens struct with a lens for each exported field
• A Make<TypeName>Lens() constructor function

// Create lenses
lenses := MakePersonLens()

// Get a field value
name := lenses.Name.Get(person)

// Set a field value (returns a new instance)
updated := lenses.Name.Set("Bob")(person)

// Modify a field value
incremented := F.Pipe1(
    lenses.Age,
    L.Modify[Person](func(age int) int { return age + 1 }),
)(person)

Features

Optional Fields (LensO)

Pointer fields automatically generate LensO (optional lenses) that work with Option[*T]:

// fp-go:Lens
type Person struct {
    Name  string
    Phone *string  // Generates LensO[Person, *string]
}

lenses := MakePersonLens()
person := Person{Name: "Alice", Phone: nil}

// Get returns Option[*string]
phoneOpt := lenses.Phone.Get(person)  // None

// Set with Some
phone := "555-1234"
updated := lenses.Phone.Set(O.Some(&phone))(person)

// Set with None (clears the field)
cleared := lenses.Phone.Set(O.None[*string]())(person)

Immutable Updates

All lens operations return new instances, leaving the original unchanged:

person := Person{Name: "Alice", Age: 30}
updated := lenses.Name.Set("Bob")(person)
// person.Name is still "Alice"
// updated.Name is "Bob"

Lens Composition

Compose lenses to access deeply nested fields:

// Access company.CEO.Name
ceoNameLens := F.Pipe1(
    companyLenses.CEO,
    L.Compose[Company](personLenses.Name),
)

name := ceoNameLens.Get(company)
updated := ceoNameLens.Set("Jane")(company)

Type Safety

All operations are type-safe at compile time:

// Compile error: type mismatch
lenses.Age.Set("not a number")(person)

Generated Code Structure

For each annotated struct, the generator creates:

// Lens struct with a lens for each field
type PersonLens struct {
    Name  L.Lens[Person, string]
    Age   L.Lens[Person, int]
    Email L.Lens[Person, string]
}

// Constructor function
func MakePersonLens() PersonLens {
    return PersonLens{
        Name: L.MakeLens(
            func(s Person) string { return s.Name },
            func(s Person, v string) Person { s.Name = v; return s },
        ),
        // ... other fields
    }
}

Generated Code Structure

For each annotated struct, the generator creates:

// Regular field generates Lens
type PersonLens struct {
    Name  L.Lens[Person, string]
    Phone LO.LensO[Person, *string]  // Pointer field generates LensO
}

// Constructor function
func MakePersonLens() PersonLens {
    return PersonLens{
        Name: L.MakeLens(
            func(s Person) string { return s.Name },
            func(s Person, v string) Person { s.Name = v; return s },
        ),
        Phone: L.MakeLens(
            func(s Person) O.Option[*string] { return O.FromNillable(s.Phone) },
            func(s Person, v O.Option[*string]) Person {
                s.Phone = O.GetOrElse(func() *string { return nil })(v)
                return s
            },
        ),
    }
}

Command Options

• --dir: Directory to scan for Go files (default: ".")
• --filename: Name of the generated file (default: "gen.go")

Notes

• Only pointer fields (*T) generate LensO (optional lenses)
• The json:"...,omitempty" tag alone does not make a field optional in the lens generator
• Pointer fields work with Option[*T] using FromNillable and GetOrElse

Examples

See example_test.go for comprehensive examples including:

• Basic lens operations (Get, Set, Modify)
• Nested struct access
• Lens composition
• Complex data structure manipulation