Functional Programming with Python

Shagun Sodhani

PyDelhi Conference, 2017

About Me
 

• Developer with Analytics and Data Science team @Adobe.
   
• Works in Deep Learning applied to NLP.
   
• Teaching Assistant for Big Data course on Edx .
   
• Doing a Q&A session on Deep Learning with CommonLounge.

Agenda

• Introduction to Functional Programming
   
• Functional Programming in Python
   
• Functions in Action

Functional Programming

• Functions as the fundamental building blocks for any program.
   
• Focus on computing results rather than on performing actions.
   
• Describe what is to be done and not on how it is to be done.
   
• Leads to concise and safe code (less OffByOne mistakes)

Talk is cheap. Show me the code.

Linus Torvalds

• Big Data and Distributed Computing
  • MapReduce
  • Spark
     
• Deep Learning
  • "weight tying" - using multiple copies of a neuron in different places is the neural network equivalent of using functions

Message from our BDFL

From http://python-history.blogspot.in/2009/04/origins-of-pythons-functional-features.html

The Missing Pieces

• Immutable Data Structures
• Pattern Matching
• Lazy Evaluation
• Tail Call Optimization
• Large Collection of List functions

Resources

• https://maryrosecook.com/blog/post/a-practical-introduction-to-functional-programming
• http://www.oreilly.com/programming/free/functional-programming-python.csp​
• https://docs.python.org/3.5/howto/functional.html
• https://github.com/sfermigier/awesome-functional-python

@shagunsodhani

@shagunsodhani

Thank You

Shagun Sodhani