What are the key concepts of functional programming?

What are the key concepts of functional programming?

Functional programming is a programming paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions. Key concepts include first-class functions, pure functions, immutability, higher-order functions, and recursion.

Can you explain what first-class functions are?

First-class functions are functions that can be treated like any other variable. They can be assigned to variables, passed as arguments, and returned from other functions.

What is immutability in functional programming?

Immutability means that once a data structure is created, it cannot be changed. Instead of modifying existing data, new data structures are created, which helps avoid side effects.

How do higher-order functions work?

Higher-order functions are functions that take other functions as arguments or return them as results. They enable powerful abstractions and code reuse.

Can you give an example of recursion?

Sure! A classic example of recursion is the calculation of the factorial of a number. For example, factorial(n) = n * factorial(n-1) with the base case being factorial(0) = 1.