Gain insights into functional programming in Python, learn about functions as objects, recursion, closures, and generators, and discover how to confidently apply these concepts to your projects.

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The functional programming paradigm can be a powerful tool, especially as it can be integrated seamlessly with procedural and object-oriented code in Python. 

In this course, you’ll learn what functional programming is, how it’s used, and the features of Python that support it. To start, you’ll learn how functions act as objects, the role of mutability, and how to perform recursion. 

In the latter half of the course, you’ll focus on closures, iterables & iterators, generators, and more. Throughout the course will be three exams which will test your understanding and really drive home what you’ve learned.  

By the end, you’ll have a new programming paradigm to add under your belt and have the confidence to start using functional programming in your own projects.

Learn Functional Programming in Python

# Recursive computation of factorials 

This example is a slight cliché, but it is still a good illustration of both the beauty and pitfalls of recursion.
 
The factorial of an integer, $n$, is the product of all the integers between $1$ and $n$. For example, six factorial (usually written $6!$) is: 

$$6*5*4*3*2*1 = 720$$ 

Now, as we said in the introduction, the obvious way to do this is with a loop. But there is an alternative, “cleverer” way, using recursion. 

We can make a simple observation that $6!$ is actually $6*5!$. And $5!$ is $5*4!$ and so on. So, we can calculate $n!$ without ever explicitly calculating a factorial at all. We just keep relying on smaller and smaller factorials without ever calculating them. 

Of course, you must stop somewhere – we know that $1!$ is $1$. 


Learn how to recursively compute the factorial of integer n.

Introduction

Functions as Objects

Mutability

Recursion

Functional Programming in Python - Exam 1

Closures

Iterators

Transforming Iterables

Reducing Iterables

Functional Programming in Python - Exam 2

Comprehensions

Generators

Partial Application and Currying

Functors and Monads

Functional Programming in Python - Exam 3

Useful Libraries

Conclusion

Factorials

Recursive computation of factorials