fp-go-pipe-flow

name

fp-go-pipe-flow

description

Guides writing, refactoring, and reviewing fp-go v2 code that uses functional composition via Pipe and Flow. Apply this skill whenever the user asks to write new fp-go code, refactor imperative Go into functional style, explain a Pipe/Flow pipeline, add do-notation (Do/Bind/ApS), use the reader monad, create lenses for struct fields, or generate unit tests for functional pipelines. Trigger on any mention of: Pipe, Flow, reader monad, kleisli, do-notation, Bind, ApS, fp-go pipeline, point-free style, lens composition in Go.

fp-go Pipe and Flow Patterns

All imports must come from github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2, never from github.com/IBM/fp-go (the v1 path).

---

Before you generate

fp-go is low-frequency in training data, so signatures are easy to misremember. For any combinator not shown below, look it up via the fp-go MCP server's search_examples / get_example tools (see the fp-go-mcp skill) instead of guessing. After writing code, run go build ./... and go vet ./... and fix any type-parameter or argument-order errors before presenting it.

---

Core concepts

Pipe — data-first composition

Pipe takes an initial value and threads it through a sequence of functions. Use it when you already have a value to start from.

import F "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"

// PipeN threads a value through N functions
result := F.Pipe3(initialValue, step1, step2, step3)

The number suffix matches the number of transformation steps. Pipe1–Pipe20 and Flow1–Flow20 are generated; there is nothing above 20.

Flow — function-first composition

Flow composes N functions into a single function that awaits its input. Use it to build reusable pipeline functions, especially as arguments to Map, Chain, or TraverseArray.

// FlowN returns func(T0) TN
pipeline := F.Flow3(step1, step2, step3)
result := pipeline(initialValue)

Rule of thumb: prefer Pipe when you have the starting value; use Flow when you are building a reusable function.

---

Prefer functions over variables

Go does not eliminate dead variables, but unused functions are zero-cost. Always wrap a Pipe/Flow result in a named function rather than storing it in a package-level var.

// WRONG — var is allocated even if never called
var processUser = F.Flow2(getName, strings.ToUpper)

// CORRECT — zero cost until called; also more composable
func processUser() func(User) string {
    return F.Flow2(getName, strings.ToUpper)
}

Use var only for lenses and pre-bound combinator helpers (like lens.Get assigned to a named getter), not for full pipeline results.

---

Point-free style

Avoid explicit argument names wherever a named combinator or Flow can express the same thing.

// WRONG — explicit argument
func isAdult(u User) bool { return getAge(u) > 18 }

// CORRECT — point-free, returns typed Predicate
func isAdult() P.Predicate[User] {
    return F.Flow2(getAge, N.MoreThan(18))
}

Type aliases to use

Type	Package	Meaning
P.Predicate[A]	github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/predicate	func(A) bool
E.Endomorphism[A]	github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/endomorphism	func(A) A

Use these as return types for functions that act as predicates or self-transformations — they communicate intent and enable direct use in combinators like A.Filter, A.Map, F.Ternary.

import (
    F "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"
    N "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/number"
    P "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/predicate"
    E "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/endomorphism"
    A "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/array"
)

// Predicate — point-free using N.MoreThan
func isAdult() P.Predicate[User] {
    return F.Flow2(getAge, N.MoreThan(18))
}

// Endomorphism — self-transformation
func doubleAll() E.Endomorphism[[]int] {
    return A.Map[int, int](N.Mul(2))
}

Numeric combinators

Prefer N.MoreThan, N.LessThan, N.Mul, N.Add etc. over inline comparisons or arithmetic in lambdas:

N.MoreThan(18)   // func(int) bool   — x > 18
N.LessThan(100)  // func(int) bool   — x < 100
N.Mul(2)         // func(int) int    — x * 2
N.Add(1)         // func(int) int    — x + 1

---

Pure pipelines vs the reader monad

Only use the reader monad when the computation genuinely needs an environment (context, config, DB, logger, etc.). For pure transformations that don't need external input, use Flow or Pipe directly — no reader wrapping needed.

// WRONG — forces reader monad on a pure computation
func adultNames(users []User) R.Reader[context.Context, string] {
    return F.Pipe2(
        R.Of[context.Context](users),
        R.Map[context.Context, []User, string](pureTransform),
    )
}

// CORRECT — pure; no environment needed
func adultNames() func([]User) string {
    return F.Flow2(
        A.FilterMap(toAdultName()),
        A.Intercalate(S.Monoid)(","),
    )
}

Per-element filter+map: use A.FilterMap

When filtering and then extracting a field, combine both into a single pass with A.FilterMap and O.FromPredicate:

import (
    F "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"
    A "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/array"
    O "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/option"
    N "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/number"
    P "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/predicate"
    S "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/string"
    E "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/endomorphism"
)

// isAdult — point-free predicate
func isAdult() P.Predicate[User] {
    return F.Flow2(getAge, N.MoreThan(18))
}

// toAdultName — User -> Option[string]: Some(name) if adult, None otherwise
func toAdultName() func(User) O.Option[string] {
    return F.Flow2(
        O.FromPredicate(isAdult()),  // User -> Option[User]
        O.Map(getName),              // Option[User] -> Option[string]
    )
}

// adultNames — pure pipeline, no reader monad needed
func adultNames() func([]User) string {
    return F.Flow2(
        A.FilterMap(toAdultName()),       // []User -> []string
        A.Intercalate(S.Monoid)(","),     // []string -> string
    )
}

---

Reader monad

The reader monad Reader[R, A] is func(R) A — a computation that reads from an environment R and produces A. Only reach for it when the computation needs to thread an environment (e.g. context.Context, a config struct, a DB handle).

import (
    F   "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"
    R   "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/reader"
    "context"
)

// Kleisli arrow: A -> Reader[Env, B]
func fetchUser(id string) R.Reader[context.Context, User] {
    return R.Asks(func(ctx context.Context) User {
        return User{ID: id}
    })
}

When to use reader.Map vs full Pipe with reader operations

• reader.Map inside Flow — when the step is pure and the environment does not need to appear explicitly. This is the "abbreviation" pattern.
• Pipe with reader.Chain, reader.Bind, reader.ApS — when the sequence needs the context (e.g. calls another kleisli arrow) or when do-notation makes the data flow clearer.

// reader.Map inside Flow — no env name, clean point-free.
// NOTE: R.Map returns an Operator over Reader values, so the PRECEDING step in the
// Flow must already produce a Reader. Composing a plain func([]User) []string with
// R.Map does not type-check.
func usersToNames(us []User) R.Reader[context.Context, []string] {
    return R.Of[context.Context](A.Map(getName)(us))
}

func renderUsers() func([]User) R.Reader[context.Context, string] {
    return F.Flow2(
        usersToNames,                                    // []User -> Reader[ctx, []string]
        R.Map[context.Context](S.Join(",")),             // Reader[ctx, []string] -> Reader[ctx, string]
    )
}

// Pipe with reader monad — env access required
func enrichedUser(id string) R.Reader[context.Context, EnrichedUser] {
    return F.Pipe3(
        fetchUser(id),
        R.Chain(fetchProfile),
        R.Chain(fetchPermissions),
        R.Map[context.Context](combineToEnriched),
    )
}

---

Do-notation: Do / Bind / ApS / Let

Do-notation is the idiomatic way to assemble multiple reader (or IO/result) computations into a named-field record. Always use it inside a Pipe.

import (
    F "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"
    R "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/reader"
    "context"
)

// Setters — hand-written or generated, kept outside the pipe
func setProfile(p Profile) func(RequestState) RequestState {
    return func(s RequestState) RequestState { s.Profile = p; return s }
}

// Kleisli arrows — named functions, never inline
func fetchProfile(s RequestState) R.Reader[context.Context, Profile] {
    return R.Asks(func(ctx context.Context) Profile { /* … */ return Profile{} })
}

// Pipeline — returned as a function, not a var
func buildRequestState(userID string) R.Reader[context.Context, RequestState] {
    return F.Pipe3(
        R.Do[context.Context](RequestState{UserID: userID}),
        R.Bind(setProfile, fetchProfile),
        R.Bind(setPerms, fetchPerms),
        R.Map[context.Context](F.Identity[RequestState]),
    )
}

Bind vs ApS vs Let

Combinator	When to use
Bind(setter, kleisli)	Result depends on accumulated state (sequential)
ApS(setter, reader)	Result is independent of other fields
Let(setter, pureFunc)	Pure transformation of accumulated state, no reader needed
LetTo(setter, value)	Attach a constant value to state

Use ApS when values can be computed independently; Bind when a later step depends on an earlier one. Mixing them in the same pipeline is normal.

---

Lenses for struct field access

Never access struct fields with inline functions inside a Pipe. Create a lens or a dedicated helper so the pipeline stays point-free.

import (
    L "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/optics/lens"
)

var hostLens = L.MakeLens(
    func(c Config) string { return c.Host },
    func(c Config, v string) Config { c.Host = v; return c },
)

// Assign lens.Get to a named var — then pass it anywhere point-free
var getHost = hostLens.Get   // func(Config) string
var getPort = portLens.Get   // func(Config) int

Use R.ApSL(lens, reader) / R.BindL(lens, kleisli) as do-notation variants that take a lens directly instead of a setter function.

---

Unit tests

Generate a _test.go for every non-trivial pipeline or flow.

func TestAdultNames(t *testing.T) {
    users := []User{{Name: "Alice", Age: 25}, {Name: "Bob", Age: 16}}
    assert.Equal(t, "Alice", adultNames()(users))
}

func TestBuildRequestState(t *testing.T) {
    ctx := context.Background()
    state := buildRequestState("user-42")(ctx)
    assert.Equal(t, "user-42", state.UserID)
}

Testing guidelines

• For pure Flow/Pipe functions: call the returned function with a concrete value and assert with assert.Equal.
• For reader pipelines: call the reader with a concrete environment struct.
• For IOResult/ReaderIOResult: call the innermost IO thunk and compare with result.Of(expected).
• Prefer table-driven tests for pipelines with multiple input/output pairs.
• Do not mock the environment — pass a real (but lightweight) struct.

---

Common import aliases

import (
    F  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/function"
    R  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/reader"
    RR "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/readerresult"
    IO "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/ioresult"
    E  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/either"
    O  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/option"
    L  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/optics/lens"
    A  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/array"
    N  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/number"
    S  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/string"
    P  "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/predicate"
    En "github.com/IBM/fp-go/v2/endomorphism"
)

---

Quick reference

Goal	Pattern
Thread a value through N steps	F.PipeN(value, f1, f2, …)
Build a reusable function	F.FlowN(f1, f2, …)
Point-free numeric predicate	F.Flow2(getField, N.MoreThan(n)) returning P.Predicate[T]
Filter+map in one pass	A.FilterMap(F.Flow2(O.FromPredicate(pred), O.Map(f)))
Lift a pure function into Reader	R.Map[Env](pureFunc)
Chain kleisli arrows	R.Chain(kleisliFunc)
Start do-notation block	R.Do[Env](emptyStruct)
Add dependent field	R.Bind(setter, kleisliFunc)
Add independent field	R.ApS(setter, readerValue)
Add pure derived field	R.Let[Env](setter, pureFunc)
Lens getter in pipeline	var getX = xLens.Get
Do-notation with lens	R.ApSL(lens, readerValue)
Access full environment	R.Ask[Env]()
Access field of environment	R.Asks(getX)