What are some use cases for lazy evaluation in programming?

What are some use cases for lazy evaluation in programming?

Lazy evaluation is a programming technique where expressions are not evaluated until their values are needed. This can improve performance and resource management.

Can you give me an example of where lazy evaluation is beneficial?

Sure! In functional programming, lazy evaluation allows for the creation of infinite data structures, like streams, which can be processed element by element without loading the entire structure into memory.

Are there any downsides to using lazy evaluation?

Yes, while lazy evaluation can save resources, it can also lead to increased memory usage if not managed properly, as unevaluated expressions accumulate.

How does lazy evaluation compare to eager evaluation?

Eager evaluation computes values as soon as they are bound to variables, which can lead to faster execution in some cases, but may waste resources if not all values are used.