Other paradigms
The paradigms we have covered so far in this chapter are the most commonly used, but there are several others. Let's have a quick look at some of them.
Function-level
In function-level programming, we have no variables at all. Instead, programs are built from elementary functions, combined with function-to-function operations, sometimes referred to as functionals or functional forms.
Languages that implement this paradigm are built around the following hierarchy:
- Atoms are the data that the functions operate on. They will only appear as input or output to the programs and will never be found inside the actual program.
- Functions will convert atoms into other atoms. The programming language will define a set of functions, and the programmer can create new ones using functional forms. The program itself is also a function.
- Functional forms are used to convert functions into other functions. They can be used by the programmer to create new...