How to pass the invisible
洪 民憙 (Hong Minhee) @hongminhee@hackers.pub
This post explores the enduring challenge in software programming of how to pass invisible contextual information, such as loggers or request contexts, through applications without cumbersome explicit parameter passing. It examines various approaches throughout history, including dynamic scoping, aspect-oriented programming (AOP), context variables, monads, and effect systems. Each method offers a unique solution, from the simplicity of dynamic scoping in early Lisp to the modularity of AOP and the type-safe encoding of effects in modern functional programming. The post highlights the trade-offs of each approach, such as the unpredictability of dynamic scoping or the complexity of monad transformers. It also touches on how context variables are used in modern asynchronous and parallel programming, as well as in UI frameworks like React. The author concludes by noting that the art of passing the invisible is an eternal theme in software programming, and this post provides valuable insights into the evolution and future directions of this critical aspect of software architecture.
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