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

As noted in the introduction, Python functions are first-class objects. This means that functions are objects that can be stored in variables, referenced in lists or other data structures, and passed in and out of functions as parameters and return values, respectively. We will explore this in a bit more detail in this chapter. 

# Objects and variables in Python
 
Before we talk about function objects, it is worth quickly recapping how objects and variables generally work in Python. 
Consider the following simple line of Python: 

```python
a = 'apple' 
b = 'pear'
``` 

Refresh your understanding of how objects and variables generally work in Python.

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

Objects and Variables in Python