no begin

README.md

@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ a_long_result_variable_name = @chain begin
 end
 ```
 
+## One-liner syntax
+
+You can also use `@chain` as a one-liner, where no begin-end block is necessary.
+This works well for short sequences that are still easy to parse visually without being on separate lines.
+
+```julia
+@chain 1:10 filter(isodd, _) sum sqrt
+```
+
 ## The `@aside` macro
 
 For debugging, it's often useful to look at values in the middle of a pipeline.

src/Chain.jl

@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ function insertionerror(expr)
     error(
         """Can't insert a first argument into:
         $expr.
-        
+
         First argument insertion works with expressions like these, where [Module.SubModule.] is optional:
-    
+
         [Module.SubModule.]func
         [Module.SubModule.]func(args...)
         [Module.SubModule.]func(args...; kwargs...)
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ function insert_first_arg(e::Expr, firstarg)
 
     # @macro(args...) --> @macro(firstarg, args...)
     elseif head == :macrocall &&
-        (is_moduled_symbol(args[1]) || args[1] isa Symbol) && 
+        (is_moduled_symbol(args[1]) || args[1] isa Symbol) &&
         args[2] isa LineNumberNode
 
         if args[1] == Symbol("@__dot__")
@@ -108,10 +108,6 @@ end
 rewrite(l::LineNumberNode, replacement) = (l, replacement)
 
 function rewrite_chain_block(firstpart, block)
-    if !(block isa Expr && block.head == :block)
-        error("Second argument of @chain must be a begin / end block")
-    end
-
     block_expressions = block.args
 
     # empty chain returns firstpart
@@ -156,14 +152,37 @@ x == sum(sqrt.(filter(!=(2), [1, 2, 3])))
 ```
 """
 macro chain(initial_value, block::Expr)
+    if !(block.head == :block)
+        block = Expr(:block, block)
+    end
     rewrite_chain_block(initial_value, block)
 end
 
-function rewrite_chain_block(block)
-    if !(block isa Expr && block.head == :block)
-        error("Only argument of single-argument @chain must be a begin / end block")
-    end
+"""
+    @chain(initial_value, args...)
+
+Rewrites a series of argments, either expressions or symbols, to feed the result
+of each line into the next one. The initial value is given by the first argument.
+
+In all arguments, underscores are replaced by the argument's result.
+If there are no underscores and the argument is a symbol, the symbol is rewritten
+to a function call with the previous result as the only argument.
+If there are no underscores and the argument is a function call or a macrocall,
+the call has the previous result prepended as the first argument.
+
+Example:
 
+```
+x = @chain [1, 2, 3] filter(!=(2), _) sqrt.(_) sum
+
+x == sum(sqrt.(filter(!=(2), [1, 2, 3])))
+```
+"""
+macro chain(initial_value, args...)
+    rewrite_chain_block(initial_value, Expr(:block, args...))
+end
+
+function rewrite_chain_block(block)
     block_expressions = block.args
     isempty(block_expressions) && error("No expressions found in chain block.")
 

test/runtests.jl

@@ -58,17 +58,51 @@ end
     @test y == sqrt(sum(x) + 3 - 7)
 end
 
+@testset "no begin" begin
+    x = [1, 2, 3]
+    y = @chain x sum
+    @test y == 6
+
+    f() = 1
+    y = @chain f() first
+    @test y == 1
+
+    y = @chain x sum(_) max(0, _) first
+    @test y == 6
+
+    y = @chain 1 (t -> t + 1)()
+    @test y == 2
+
+    y = @chain 1 (t -> t + 1)() first max(0, _)
+    @test y == 2
+
+    y = @chain 1 (==(2))
+    @test y == false
+
+    y = @chain 1 (==(2)) first (==(false))
+    @test y == true
+
+    y = @chain 1 (_ + 1)
+    @test y == 2
+
+    y = @chain 1 (_ + 1) first max(0, _)
+    @test y == 2
+
+    # the begin block will be different from the normal chain block here
+    # only the last statement matters
+    y = @chain x begin
+        _ .+ 1
+        _ .+ 2
+    end sum
+    @test y == sum(x .+ 2)
+end
+
 @testset "invalid invocations" begin
     # just one argument
     @test_throws LoadError eval(quote
         @chain [1, 2, 3]
     end)
 
-    # no begin block
-    @test_throws LoadError eval(quote
-        @chain [1, 2, 3] sum
-    end)
-
     # let block
     @test_throws LoadError eval(quote
         @chain [1, 2, 3] let
@@ -232,7 +266,7 @@ end
 
 # issue 13
 @testset "broadcasting calls" begin
-    
+
     xs = [1, 2, 3]
     ys = @chain xs begin
         sin.()
@@ -275,10 +309,10 @@ module LocalModule
     macro sin(exp)
         :(sin($(esc(exp))))
     end
-    
+
     macro broadcastminus(exp1, exp2)
         :(broadcast(-, $(esc(exp1)), $(esc(exp2))))
-    end    
+    end
 
     module SubModule
         function square(xs)
@@ -294,10 +328,10 @@ module LocalModule
         macro sin(exp)
             :(sin($(esc(exp))))
         end
-        
+
         macro broadcastminus(exp1, exp2)
             :(broadcast(-, $(esc(exp1)), $(esc(exp2))))
-        end        
+        end
     end
 end