Scala 3 language-specific patterns with ZIO, Cats Effect, and opaque types
Scanned 5/27/2026
Install via CLI
openskills install nWave-ai/nWave---
name: nw-fp-scala
agent: nw-functional-software-crafter
description: Scala 3 language-specific patterns with ZIO, Cats Effect, and opaque types
user-invocable: false
disable-model-invocation: true
---
# FP in Scala 3 -- Functional Software Crafter Skill
Cross-references: [fp-principles](../nw-fp-principles/SKILL.md) | [fp-domain-modeling](../nw-fp-domain-modeling/SKILL.md) | [pbt-jvm](../nw-pbt-jvm/SKILL.md)
## When to Choose Scala
- Best for: JVM with full FP power | large-scale systems | data engineering | richest effect ecosystem
- Not ideal for: small teams wanting simplicity | Android (use Kotlin) | teams allergic to OO/FP duality
## [STARTER] Quick Setup
```bash
cs install scala3-compiler scala3-repl sbt
sbt new scala/scala3.g8 && cd order-service
# Add zio, zio-test, scalacheck to build.sbt
sbt compile && sbt test
```
## [STARTER] Type System for Domain Modeling
### Choice Types and Record Types
```scala
enum PaymentMethod:
case CreditCard(cardNumber: String, expiryDate: String)
case BankTransfer(accountNumber: String)
case Cash
case class Customer(
customerId: CustomerId,
customerName: CustomerName,
customerEmail: EmailAddress
)
```
Case classes provide structural equality, copy, and pattern matching for free.
### [STARTER] Domain Wrappers (Opaque Types) -- Zero Cost
```scala
object OrderDomain:
opaque type OrderId = Int
object OrderId:
def apply(value: Int): OrderId = value
extension (id: OrderId) def value: Int = id
opaque type EmailAddress = String
object EmailAddress:
def from(raw: String): Either[ValidationError, EmailAddress] =
if raw.contains("@") then Right(raw)
else Left(InvalidEmail(raw))
```
Inside defining scope, alias is transparent. Outside, only exported operations available.
## [INTERMEDIATE] Composition Style
### For-Comprehensions (Monadic Chaining)
```scala
def placeOrder(raw: RawOrder): Either[OrderError, Confirmation] =
for
validated <- validateOrder(raw)
priced <- priceOrder(validated)
confirmed <- confirmOrder(priced)
yield confirmed
```
### Error Accumulation (Cats Validated or ZIO)
```scala
import cats.data.Validated
import cats.syntax.all.*
def validateCustomer(raw: RawCustomer): ValidatedNel[ValidationError, Customer] =
(validateName(raw.name), validateEmail(raw.email), validateAddress(raw.address))
.mapN(Customer.apply)
```
## [ADVANCED] Effect Management
### ZIO vs Cats Effect
ZIO: `ZIO[R, E, A]` with built-in typed errors, DI (ZLayer), batteries-included. Cats Effect: `IO[A]`, minimal type-class-based, Typelevel ecosystem (http4s, FS2, Doobie). Pick one and stay consistent.
### ZIO Hexagonal Architecture
```scala
trait OrderRepository:
def findOrder(id: OrderId): Task[Option[Order]]
def saveOrder(order: Order): Task[Unit]
def placeOrder(raw: RawOrder): ZIO[OrderRepository & PricingService, OrderError, Confirmation] =
for
repo <- ZIO.service[OrderRepository]
validated <- ZIO.fromEither(validateOrder(raw))
priced <- ZIO.fromEither(priceOrder(validated))
_ <- repo.saveOrder(priced)
yield Confirmation(priced.orderId)
// Adapter
class PostgresOrderRepository(ds: DataSource) extends OrderRepository:
def findOrder(id: OrderId): Task[Option[Order]] = ZIO.attemptBlocking { /* query */ }
def saveOrder(order: Order): Task[Unit] = ZIO.attemptBlocking { /* insert */ }
val appLayer: ZLayer[Any, Nothing, OrderRepository & PricingService] =
PostgresOrderRepository.layer ++ PricingServiceLive.layer
```
### Cats Effect / Tagless Final
```scala
trait OrderRepository[F[_]]:
def findOrder(id: OrderId): F[Option[Order]]
def placeOrder[F[_]: Monad](repo: OrderRepository[F])(raw: RawOrder): F[Either[OrderError, Confirmation]] =
for
validated <- Monad[F].pure(validateOrder(raw))
result <- validated match
case Left(err) => Monad[F].pure(Left(err))
case Right(v) => repo.findOrder(v.orderId).map(_.toRight(OrderNotFound))
yield result
```
## [INTERMEDIATE] Testing
**Frameworks**: ScalaCheck (PBT) | ZIO Test (integrated PBT + unit) | ScalaTest (BDD) | MUnit (lightweight). See [pbt-jvm](../nw-pbt-jvm/SKILL.md) for detailed PBT patterns.
### Property Test (ScalaCheck)
```scala
import org.scalacheck.Properties
import org.scalacheck.Prop.forAll
object OrderSpec extends Properties("Order"):
property("serialization round-trips") = forAll { (order: Order) =>
deserialize(serialize(order)) == Right(order)
}
property("validated orders have positive totals") = forAll { (raw: RawOrder) =>
validateOrder(raw) match
case Left(_) => true
case Right(valid) => valid.total.value > 0
}
```
## [ADVANCED] Idiomatic Patterns
### Enum-Based State Machines
```scala
enum OrderState:
case Unvalidated(raw: RawOrder)
case Validated(order: ValidatedOrder)
case Priced(order: PricedOrder)
case Confirmed(confirmation: Confirmation)
def transition(state: OrderState, command: OrderCommand): Either[OrderError, OrderState] =
(state, command) match
case (OrderState.Unvalidated(raw), OrderCommand.Validate) =>
validateOrder(raw).map(OrderState.Validated(_))
case (OrderState.Validated(order), OrderCommand.Price) =>
priceOrder(order).map(OrderState.Priced(_))
case _ => Left(InvalidTransition(state, command))
```
### Extension Methods for Domain Operations
```scala
extension (order: PricedOrder)
def totalWithTax(taxRate: BigDecimal): Money = Money(order.total.value * (1 + taxRate))
def isHighValue: Boolean = order.total.value > 1000
```
## Maturity and Adoption
- **Ecosystem fragmentation**: ZIO vs Cats Effect creates split ecosystem. Libraries often target one or the other. Mixing is painful.
- **Slow compilation**: Scala 3 faster than 2 but still significantly slower than Kotlin or Java. Keep modules small; consider Mill over sbt.
- **Complexity reputation**: Scala's power (implicits, type-level programming, macros) creates wildly varying codebases. Establish team conventions early.
- **Migration burden**: Scala 2 to 3 migration non-trivial. Ecosystem has mostly caught up by 2025-2026.
## Common Pitfalls
1. **Ecosystem fragmentation**: Pick one effect ecosystem (ZIO or Cats) and stay consistent. Mixing creates dependency conflicts.
2. **Implicit/given complexity**: Keep `given` instances close to their types. Deep resolution chains produce cryptic errors.
3. **OO/FP tension**: Prefer case classes + enums + pure functions over class hierarchies with mutable state.
4. **Slow compilation**: Use sbt incremental compilation, keep modules small, consider Mill for faster builds.
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