For August we’ll be reading Neil Ford’s 2014 O’Reilly title, Functional Thinking: Paradigm Over Syntax.
Rather than focus on specific language features, Functional Thinking looks at a variety of common practices in OOP languages and then shows you how to solve the same problems with a functional language. For instance, you know how to achieve code-reuse in Java via mechanisms such as inheritance and polymorphism. Code reuse is also possible in functional languages, using high-order functions, composition, and multi-methods.
Ford encourages you to value results over steps, so you can begin to think like a functional programmer. Expect your mind to be bent, but you’ll finish with a much better understanding of both the syntax and semantics of functional languages.
Where to find a copy of this title:
- Austin Public Library has a copy
- O’Reilly’s Safari online book service has the ebook
- Alibris has copies starting at $29
- Amazon has the paperback for $36, ebook for $17
- Apple iBooks has the ebook for $32
The meetup will be on Tuesday, August 28 at 6:30PM at our usual location: the ActiveProspect office, 4203 Guadalupe in Hyde Park.
Be sure to RSVP on Meetup so we’ll have plenty of pizza and drinks for everyone.
See you there!
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