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How I learned to love F# and became a functional programmer(hackernews.com)

178 points by functional_genius 6 months ago flag hide 12 comments

johncaboose 6 months ago next
Great article! I've been interested in learning F# for a while now, but haven't had the chance to dive in yet. What resources would you recommend to someone just starting to learn functional programming with F#?
- solprogrammer 6 months ago next
  Hi John, I suggest checking out the Pluralsight course 'F# Fundamentals' by Scott Wlaschin, as well as his website 'fsharpforfunandprofit.com'. They're both excellent resources for learning F# and functional programming concepts.
haskellguru 6 months ago prev next
Interesting read! I've been working with Haskell for years, but I'm always curious to see how other languages in the ML family are used in industry. Do you have any tips for someone looking to make the transition from F# to Haskell?
- fsharpfanatic 6 months ago next
  Hey there! I think one of the best ways to transition from F# to Haskell is to practice solving problems on websites like HackerRank or Project Euler using Haskell. This will help you become more comfortable with the syntax and idioms of the language. Additionally, you may want to check out the book 'Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!' by Miran Lipovača.
rusticprogrammer 6 months ago prev next
I'm impressed by how much you've been able to accomplish with F#! I've been working with Rust lately, but I'm intrigued by the expressiveness of F# and the suitability of functional programming for data-intensive applications. Could you please expand more on the benefits of F# over other languages like Rust for these kinds of applications?
- fsharpguy 6 months ago next
  Sure thing! One of the main benefits of F# is its seamless integration with the .NET ecosystem, which makes it easier to leverage existing libraries and frameworks for data processing, networking, and other tasks. Additionally, functional programming with F# can lead to more concise and expressive code than imperative languages like Rust, which can help reduce the complexity and maintenance burden of data-intensive applications.
scalaqueen 6 months ago prev next
I've been working with Scala for a while now, but I've been hearing good things about F#'s performance and expressiveness. How does F# compare to Scala in terms of performance and functional programming capabilities?
- fsharpninja 6 months ago next
  Hi Scalaqueen! F# and Scala are both excellent choices for functional programming in the JVM ecosystem, but there are some differences between them. In terms of performance, F# can be slightly faster than Scala due to its lower overhead and more efficient JIT compiler. However, the differences are usually negligible for most applications. In terms of functional programming capabilities, F# has some advantages over Scala, such as stronger type inference, more powerful pattern matching, and better support for immutability and persistence in data structures. However, Scala's interoperability with Java and its larger community might be more appealing for some use cases.
csharpdev 6 months ago prev next
As a C# developer, I'm intrigued by F# and its functional programming features. Do you have any tips for someone looking to incorporate F# into a C# codebase or team, or for learning F# alongside C#?
- fsharpadvocate 6 months ago next
  Hey C# dev! Integrating F# into a C# codebase or team can be a great way to leverage the strengths of both languages for different parts of the application. One approach is to use F# for data processing, numerical computing, or other tasks where functional programming can provide benefits, while using C# for UI, networking, or other tasks where imperative programming is more suitable. In terms of learning F# alongside C#, I suggest starting with the F# Pluralsight course I mentioned earlier, and then practicing F# on personal projects or open-source contributions. Additionally, you may want to check out the F# community on Reddit, GitHub, or other platforms for resources and guidance.
javascriptjoe 6 months ago prev next
I'm curious about how F# compares to functional reactive programming (FRP) libraries in JavaScript, such as Cycle.js or RxJS. How does F#'s functional programming support compare to these libraries for building reactive applications?
- fsharpfrp 6 months ago next
  Hi JavaScript Joe! F#'s functional programming support can be a good substitute for FRP libraries in JavaScript, especially for tasks that involve complex data processing or concurrency. F#'s strong type system and functional data structures make it easier to reason about reactive applications and avoid the pitfalls of mutable state. Additionally, F# has support for domain-specific languages (DSLs) and meta-programming, which can make it easier to express and compose reactive flows in a declarative and composable way. However, F#'s integration with web frameworks and UI libraries might not be as smooth as with JavaScript, so you may need to use Fable or other interop libraries to use F# with popular front-end tools.

johncaboose 6 months ago next
Great article! I've been interested in learning F# for a while now, but haven't had the chance to dive in yet. What resources would you recommend to someone just starting to learn functional programming with F#?
- solprogrammer 6 months ago next
  Hi John, I suggest checking out the Pluralsight course 'F# Fundamentals' by Scott Wlaschin, as well as his website 'fsharpforfunandprofit.com'. They're both excellent resources for learning F# and functional programming concepts.
haskellguru 6 months ago prev next
Interesting read! I've been working with Haskell for years, but I'm always curious to see how other languages in the ML family are used in industry. Do you have any tips for someone looking to make the transition from F# to Haskell?
- fsharpfanatic 6 months ago next
  Hey there! I think one of the best ways to transition from F# to Haskell is to practice solving problems on websites like HackerRank or Project Euler using Haskell. This will help you become more comfortable with the syntax and idioms of the language. Additionally, you may want to check out the book 'Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!' by Miran Lipovača.
rusticprogrammer 6 months ago prev next
I'm impressed by how much you've been able to accomplish with F#! I've been working with Rust lately, but I'm intrigued by the expressiveness of F# and the suitability of functional programming for data-intensive applications. Could you please expand more on the benefits of F# over other languages like Rust for these kinds of applications?
- fsharpguy 6 months ago next
  Sure thing! One of the main benefits of F# is its seamless integration with the .NET ecosystem, which makes it easier to leverage existing libraries and frameworks for data processing, networking, and other tasks. Additionally, functional programming with F# can lead to more concise and expressive code than imperative languages like Rust, which can help reduce the complexity and maintenance burden of data-intensive applications.
scalaqueen 6 months ago prev next
I've been working with Scala for a while now, but I've been hearing good things about F#'s performance and expressiveness. How does F# compare to Scala in terms of performance and functional programming capabilities?
- fsharpninja 6 months ago next
  Hi Scalaqueen! F# and Scala are both excellent choices for functional programming in the JVM ecosystem, but there are some differences between them. In terms of performance, F# can be slightly faster than Scala due to its lower overhead and more efficient JIT compiler. However, the differences are usually negligible for most applications. In terms of functional programming capabilities, F# has some advantages over Scala, such as stronger type inference, more powerful pattern matching, and better support for immutability and persistence in data structures. However, Scala's interoperability with Java and its larger community might be more appealing for some use cases.
csharpdev 6 months ago prev next
As a C# developer, I'm intrigued by F# and its functional programming features. Do you have any tips for someone looking to incorporate F# into a C# codebase or team, or for learning F# alongside C#?
- fsharpadvocate 6 months ago next
  Hey C# dev! Integrating F# into a C# codebase or team can be a great way to leverage the strengths of both languages for different parts of the application. One approach is to use F# for data processing, numerical computing, or other tasks where functional programming can provide benefits, while using C# for UI, networking, or other tasks where imperative programming is more suitable. In terms of learning F# alongside C#, I suggest starting with the F# Pluralsight course I mentioned earlier, and then practicing F# on personal projects or open-source contributions. Additionally, you may want to check out the F# community on Reddit, GitHub, or other platforms for resources and guidance.
javascriptjoe 6 months ago prev next
I'm curious about how F# compares to functional reactive programming (FRP) libraries in JavaScript, such as Cycle.js or RxJS. How does F#'s functional programming support compare to these libraries for building reactive applications?
- fsharpfrp 6 months ago next
  Hi JavaScript Joe! F#'s functional programming support can be a good substitute for FRP libraries in JavaScript, especially for tasks that involve complex data processing or concurrency. F#'s strong type system and functional data structures make it easier to reason about reactive applications and avoid the pitfalls of mutable state. Additionally, F# has support for domain-specific languages (DSLs) and meta-programming, which can make it easier to express and compose reactive flows in a declarative and composable way. However, F#'s integration with web frameworks and UI libraries might not be as smooth as with JavaScript, so you may need to use Fable or other interop libraries to use F# with popular front-end tools.