A Comprehensive Overview of Functional Programming Techniques
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Chapter 1: Understanding Programming Paradigms
Before delving into functional programming, it's essential to understand various programming paradigms that shape the coding landscape.
Two prevalent programming paradigms are imperative and declarative programming.
Section 1.1: Imperative Programming
In imperative programming, we articulate a step-by-step method to address a problem. The subcategories derived from this approach include:
- Procedural Programming: This splits the programming logic into discrete units known as procedures. Procedures can possess local data and can also alter global variables. Examples of languages that utilize procedural programming are Fortran and ALGOL.
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): This methodology organizes instructions into objects, which have both properties/attributes and methods. Notable OOP languages include Java, C++, C#, and Python.
Section 1.2: Declarative Programming
In contrast, declarative programming focuses on defining the problem, allowing the programming language to handle the execution.
Functional programming emerges as a paradigm rooted in imperative programming.
Chapter 2: What is Functional Programming?
Functional programming is characterized by writing code in the form of functions, which are the building blocks of the program.
Functional Programming Best Practices
When adopting functional programming, consider the following best practices:
- Utilization of Immutable Data Structures: Structures like Maps, Linked Lists, and Trees are often employed. These possess the characteristic of persistence.
- Deterministic Functions: A function should consistently yield the same output when provided with identical input.
- Pure Functions: Functions should aim to minimize side effects. A pure function does not affect variables outside its local context.
- Higher Order Functions: These are functions that can take other functions as arguments and/or return functions as their result. They play a crucial role in functional programming.
- Preference for Recursion over Loops: Traditional loops may introduce side effects due to mutable counter variables. Recursion is favored as it avoids these issues.
- Reusable Functions: Functions should be designed for reusability, meaning they should not depend on specific external variables.
The journey through functional programming concludes with an understanding of its core principles and practices.
Chapter 3: Resources for Further Learning
To deepen your understanding of functional programming, consider these resources:
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The first video titled "A Gentle Introduction to Functional JavaScript" provides an insightful perspective on functional programming principles.
The second video, "Decorators 101: A Gentle Introduction to Functional Programming" by Jillian Munson, explains decorators in the context of functional programming.
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