A Diagrammatic Calculus for Algebraic Effects

Abstract: We introduce a new diagrammatic notation for representing the result of (algebraic) effectful computations. Our notation explicitly separates the effects produced during a computation from the possible values returned, this way simplifying the extension of definitions and results on pure computations to an effectful setting. Additionally, we show a number of algebraic and order-theoretic laws on diagrams, this way laying the foundations for a diagrammatic calculus of algebraic effects. We give a formal foundation for such a calculus in terms of Lawvere theories and generic effects.