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Why JavaScript Might Be the Functional Programming Language To Simplify Your Code
What JavaScript has in common with the functional programming paradigm
Functional Programming (FP)became very popular during the last decade of web development. Thanks to many libraries and frameworks (LoDash, RamdaJS, React and Redux, Angular and NGRX), JavaScript got a great touch of FP.
But the term, FP, is almost as old as programming itself and has therefore been around quite a while. LISP, the second-oldest programming language, is still in use.
Nonetheless, JavaScript offers many features that raise the question:
Is JavaScript an appropriate Language for FP?
The Diverse Opinion About Functional Programming
Ask whoever you want, and you will get different answers. It is a modern approach to programming that leaves every other paradigm behind not only because it might be advanced and enlightened.
Others will answer that this paradigm is way too theoretical to be applied to real-world problems. It is practically impossible to implement it straight because it brings more complications than benefits to the table.
I think the truth lies somewhere within, as with anything in life. Nothing is just black or white.
Think the Other Way Around
Rule as an imperator means to solve a problem the imperative fashioned way: a sequence of statements. Whereas your desired result is achieved by creating objects and mutating their states. This ultimately means modifying the objects themselves.
Rule as functionary is the complete opposite. Instead of focusing on objects, you create results by evaluating expressions. Those expressions are combined to compose functions.
FP is the fine English way of coding. No loops, skip side effects and pass functions around.
