Learn Functional programmming with Elixir

2018年4月最新出版 Is This Book for You? This book is tailored for beginners in functional programming and Elixir. I expect you have some experience in building simple algorithms, debugging errors, and running commands in a terminal, and that you have at least an entry-level knowledge of software development. Any experience in other languages will help you out. You don't need to be an expert because we'll start from scratch. If you're an object-oriented programmer ready to take the next step, or a college student graduating and looking for a language to work with, this book is for you. If you've tried to program in Elixir before and had a hard time because of the functional programming concepts, this book will give you the knowledge that you need to become a future expert. If you're already an Elixir or functional programming expert, you may find some valuable tips here, but this book probably isn't for you. What's in This Book? You'll find a beginner's guide to functional programming concepts and an introduction to Elixir. The book is divided into seven chapters: Chapter 1, Thinking Functionally, on page 1, introduces the main concepts of functional programming that will persist throughout the book. You'll learn why functional concepts matter and help you create better software. In Chapter 2, Working with Variables and Functions, on page 11, you'll start learning Elixir from scratch, from simple expressions to modules. We'll explore the base building blocks of a functional program: functions. Anonymous and named functions are introduced here. Then, in Chapter 3, Using Pattern Matching to Control the Program Flow, on page 33, you'll learn how to create conditional code with functions. Pattern matching plays the central role. Repetition is a fundamental task in any programming language. In Chapter 4, Diving into Recursion, on page 59, you'll learn the functional way: recursive functions. In Chapter 5, Using Higher-Order Functions, on page 81, we'll explore how to create better functions that hide complex code. We'll cover how to create functions that can receive or return functions; you'll learn higher-order functions. Chapter 6, Designing Your Elixir Applications, on page 105, is about creating a larger application and organizing it. We'll explore how to model data, create contracts, and achieve polymorphism using Elixir. Finally, in Chapter 7, Handling Impure Functions, on page 139, we'll look at the concept that finishes this journey: how to work with impure functions. We'll explore the pros and cons of four strategies: conditional code, exception handling, monads, and Elixir's with.