What are immutable collections in functional programming?

What are immutable collections in functional programming?

Immutable collections are data structures that cannot be modified after they are created. This means any operation that would normally change the collection results in a new collection instead.

Can you give me an example of an immutable collection?

Sure! In languages like Scala, you have immutable lists. When you add an element to an immutable list, it returns a new list with the added element, leaving the original list unchanged.

What are the benefits of using immutable collections?

Using immutable collections can lead to safer code, easier reasoning about state, and better performance in concurrent programming since they avoid issues related to shared mutable state.

Are there any downsides to using immutable collections?

Yes, one downside is that they can lead to increased memory usage since new collections are created instead of modifying existing ones. This can also impact performance in some scenarios.