Notes/Functional Programming/Introduction to Functional Programming.md

type
mixed

Definition

• Pure mathematical functions
• Declarative paradigm
  • Instead of writing step-by-step, we define the desired outcome
• Immutable data
• => No/Less side effects
• Programs are easier to verify
  • We can mathematically prove the algorithms

Lazy vs. Strict

• Calculations are delayed until the results are actually needed

Example

Imagine a list of numbers, but you only need the first one that meets a condition. With lazy evaluation, the program stops processing the list as soon as it finds the result, instead of checking every number.