Let's take a scenario from Mathematics, how would you model the infinite set of natural numbers? A list? An Array? Or a Stream? Even with infinite storage and time, lists and arrays do not work well enough for this scenario. Why? Assuming the largest possible integer an array can hold is x, then you've obviously missed out onx + 1. Lists, although not constrained by initialization, need to have every value defined before insertion.
Tag: Functional programming
How to implement the Y-combinator in JavaScript
This post provides a very simple step-by-step implementation of the Y-combinator in JavaScript. You should be able to implement the Y-combinator in your language of choice after reading this post; as you'll see - it's that easy.
SICP Section 1.3 : Thoughts and Concepts
This section exposed me to the full power and beauty of functional programming. The expressiveness of using functions as values is awesome. For example, a sum of cubes function can use a sum function which itself relies on a reduce function. Think of higher order differentiation in mathematics and you do get the idea. An interesting concept involves … Continue reading SICP Section 1.3 : Thoughts and Concepts
Understanding reduce with JavaScript Arrays
Programming involves manipulating collections of various things. Operations on collections include aggregating values, conversion into other formats and data replacement.
Understanding Partial Application and Currying
In pure functional languages, functions are not 'invoked', rather a set of arguments is 'applied' to them. Now, if all the arguments are not passed in, then the function is being 'partially' applied. Partial application converts variadic functions (i.e. functions with multiple parameters) into functions of lesser arity by pre-specifying certain argument values.
Understanding Tail Recursion
The biggest advantage of using tail calls is that they allow you to do extensive operations without exceeding the call stack. This makes it possible to do a lot of work in constant space without running into out of memory exceptions; this happens because the frame for the currently executing function is re-used by the newly-executed function call.
Understanding JavaScript Functions
JavaScript is a functional programming language and it is essential to truly understand functions to achieve mastery of the language. In JavaScript, functions are pretty much at the same level as objects: you can assign functions to variables, access function properties, pass them in as parameters to other functions or invoke them using the function operator.
JavaScript: The functional Programming Parts
Yes, a lot of people think JavaScript is just another object-oriented language but the language differs in many ways from the Java/C++ class of programming languages. For example, JavaScript uses prototypical inheritance versus the classical inheritance favoured by OO languages; this makes it easier to get on new behaviours... and also makes it really really easy to shoot yourself in the foot.
Functional Programming & ME
After finishing Rebecca Murphy's jqfundamentals and finding it to be quite an enjoyable and smooth read, I decided to learn JavaScript; I scanned my languages-to-learn list and quickly brought JavaScript to the front ahead of the others: Python/C/C++/C#/Ruby/Bash. One of the motivating factors was the fact that JavaScript supports functional programming; a paradigm I have … Continue reading Functional Programming & ME
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