What is the difference between first-order and higher-order functions?

What is the difference between first-order and higher-order functions?

First-order functions are functions that do not take other functions as arguments or return them. Higher-order functions, on the other hand, can take one or more functions as arguments or return a function as a result.

Can you give me an example of a higher-order function?

Sure! A common example is the map function in JavaScript, which takes a function as an argument and applies it to each element in an array.

What about first-order functions? Can you show me an example?

Absolutely! A simple example of a first-order function is a function that adds two numbers together, like function add(a, b) { return a + b; }.

Why are higher-order functions useful?

Higher-order functions are useful because they allow for more abstract and flexible code, enabling operations like mapping, filtering, and reducing collections of data.