Lua Academy · Lesson

Factory Functions and Generators

Use closures as factory functions to produce configured function instances.

Lesson 3 of 413 steps

Factory Functions and Generators is a free Lua Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 3 of 4. Any 3 lessons of this learning path are free to read in full — after that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus hands-on practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Lua Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The Lua Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

What Is a Factory Function?

A factory function is a function that creates and returns other functions, configured by its arguments and upvalues.

Simple Multiplier Factory

Each call to multiplier returns a new closure capturing a different factor.

local function multiplier(factor)
  return function(x) return x * factor end
end
local double = multiplier(2)
local triple = multiplier(3)
print(double(5))  -- 10
print(triple(5))  -- 15

Configurable Logger Factory

A logger factory captures a prefix string and returns a log function.

local function makeLogger(prefix)
  return function(msg)
    print("[" .. prefix .. "] " .. msg)
  end
end
local info = makeLogger("INFO")
local warn = makeLogger("WARN")
info("started")
warn("low memory")

Counter Generator

A generator maintains internal state and produces a new value on each call.

local function counter(start, step)
  local n = start - step
  return function()
    n = n + step
    return n
  end
end
local evens = counter(0, 2)
print(evens(), evens(), evens())  -- 0 2 4

Range Generator

A range generator yields values from from to to, returning nil when exhausted.

local function range(from, to, step)
  step = step or 1
  local i = from - step
  return function()
    i = i + step
    if i <= to then return i end
  end
end
for v in range(1, 5) do print(v) end

Partial Application

A factory partially applies arguments to create a specialized version of a function.

local function partial(fn, ...)
  local args = {...}
  return function(...)
    local all = {table.unpack(args)}
    for _, v in ipairs({...}) do all[#all+1] = v end
    return fn(table.unpack(all))
  end
end
local add = function(a,b) return a+b end
local add10 = partial(add, 10)
print(add10(5))  -- 15

Memoizing Factory

A factory can build a memoized version of an expensive function.

local function memoize(fn)
  local cache = {}
  return function(x)
    if cache[x] == nil then cache[x] = fn(x) end
    return cache[x]
  end
end

Stateful Token Lexer

A lexer factory captures the input string and position, yielding the next token on each call.

local function lexer(input)
  local pos = 1
  return function()
    if pos > #input then return nil end
    local token = input:match("%S+", pos)
    if token then pos = pos + #token + 1 end
    return token
  end
end

Generators vs. Coroutines

Closure-based generators are simpler but carry all state in upvalues. Coroutine-based generators are more powerful, allowing yield anywhere in complex logic.

Function Templates

Factories create function templates — common patterns parameterized at creation time, reused many times with different configurations.

Currying

A curried function takes arguments one at a time, returning a new function until all arguments are supplied.

local function curry2(fn)
  return function(a)
    return function(b)
      return fn(a, b)
    end
  end
end
local curriedAdd = curry2(function(a,b) return a+b end)
print(curriedAdd(3)(4))  -- 7

Factory Question

What is a key characteristic of factory functions?

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap: Factory Functions

Factory functions produce configured closures, enabling partial application, generators, memoization, and currying. They are one of Lua's most powerful functional patterns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Factory Functions and Generators” lesson free?

Yes — any 3 lessons of the Lua Academy learning path, including “Factory Functions and Generators”, are free to read in full here on the web. After that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus interactive practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. The Lua Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Factory Functions and Generators”?

Use closures as factory functions to produce configured function instances. You practise Lua Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Lua Academy?

No prior experience is required. Lua Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 3 of 4.

How long does the “Factory Functions and Generators” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

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