functional programming
(redirected from Functionalprogramming)functional programming
[′fəŋk·shən·əl ′prō‚gram·iŋ] (computer science)
A type of computer programming in which functions are used to control the processing of logic.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
functional programming
(programming)(FP) A program in a functional language consists
of a set of (possibly recursive) function definitions and
an expression whose value is output as the program's result.
Functional languages are one kind of declarative language.
They are mostly based on the typed lambda-calculus with
constants. There are no side-effects to expression
evaluation so an expression, e.g. a function applied to
certain arguments, will always evaluate to the same value (if
its evaluation terminates). Furthermore, an expression can
always be replaced by its value without changing the overall
result (referential transparency).
The order of evaluation of subexpressions is determined by the language's evaluation strategy. In a strict (call-by-value) language this will specify that arguments are evaluated before applying a function whereas in a non-strict (call-by-name) language arguments are passed unevaluated.
Programs written in a functional language are generally compact and elegant, but have tended, until recently, to run slowly and require a lot of memory.
Examples of purely functional languages are Clean, FP, Haskell, Hope, Joy, LML, Miranda, and SML. Many other languages such as Lisp have a subset which is purely functional but also contain non-functional constructs.
See also lazy evaluation, reduction.
Lecture notes. or the same in dvi-format.
FAQ.
SEL-HPC Article Archive.
The order of evaluation of subexpressions is determined by the language's evaluation strategy. In a strict (call-by-value) language this will specify that arguments are evaluated before applying a function whereas in a non-strict (call-by-name) language arguments are passed unevaluated.
Programs written in a functional language are generally compact and elegant, but have tended, until recently, to run slowly and require a lot of memory.
Examples of purely functional languages are Clean, FP, Haskell, Hope, Joy, LML, Miranda, and SML. Many other languages such as Lisp have a subset which is purely functional but also contain non-functional constructs.
See also lazy evaluation, reduction.
Lecture notes. or the same in dvi-format.
FAQ.
SEL-HPC Article Archive.
This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)