Functional Reactive Programming (Paperback)

Stephen Blackheath

ISBN 10: 1633430103 / ISBN 13: 9781633430105

Published by Manning Publications, New York, 2016

About this Item

Paperback. DESCRIPTION Most software applications must handle user or system-generated events. The most widely-accepted event handling model is the Observer pattern, in which an object "listens" for changes in the application's state and then reacts by executing a unit of codethe problems is that this approach is prone to bugs. Functional Reactive Programming (FRP) is an alternative to the Observer pattern. Its designed to deal with events as a stream of values over time rather than as a series of unique responses to discrete changes in state, keeping logic tidy and eliminating the bugs that plague event handling code with no loss of expressiveness. FRP is useful anywhere the Observer pattern is common, including user interfaces, video games, networking, and industrial applications. Functional Reactive Programming teaches the concepts and applications of FRP. It begins with a careful walk-through of the FRP core operations and introduces the concepts and techniques needed to use FRP in any language. Following easy-to-understand examples, readers will learn how to use FRP in greenfield applications and how to refactor existing applications. Along the way, the book introduces the basics of functional programming in a just-in-time style, so readers never learn anything before they need to use it. By the end of the book, readers will be able to use FRP to spend more time adding features and less time fixing problems. KEY SELLING POINTS Step by step guide to developing FRP applications Think differently about data and events Spend less time fixing problems and more time adding features AUDIENCE This book presents examples in Java, C++, and JavaScript using the Sodium, Flapjax, and BaconJS libraries. No prior experience with functional programming is required. ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY Reactive programming is a broad concept, where programs are event-based and viewed as a data flow. Functional Reactive Programming is a specific type of reactive programming that improves the quality of interactive applications, allowing developers to spend more time adding features and less time fixing problems. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781633430105

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Functional Reactive Programming (Paperback)
• Publisher: Manning Publications, New York
• Publication Date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1633430103
• ISBN 13: 9781633430105
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Summary

Functional Reactive Programming teaches the concepts and applications of FRP. It offers a careful walk-through of core FRP operations and introduces the concepts and techniques you'll need to use FRP in any language.

Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.

About the Technology

Today's software is shifting to more asynchronous, event-based solutions. For decades, the Observer pattern has been the go-to event infrastructure, but it is known to be bug-prone. Functional reactive programming (FRP) replaces Observer, radically improving the quality of event-based code.

About the Book

Functional Reactive Programming teaches you how FRP works and how to use it. You'll begin by gaining an understanding of what FRP is and why it's so powerful. Then, you'll work through greenfield and legacy code as you learn to apply FRP to practical use cases. You'll find examples in this book from many application domains using both Java and JavaScript. When you're finished, you'll be able to use the FRP approach in the systems you build and spend less time fixing problems.

What's Inside

• Think differently about data and events
• FRP techniques for Java and JavaScript
• Eliminate Observer one listener at a time
• Explore Sodium, RxJS, and Kefir.js FRP systems

About the Reader

Readers need intermediate Java or JavaScript skills. No experience with functional programming or FRP required.

About the Authors

Stephen Blackheath and Anthony Jones are experienced software developers and the creators of the Sodium FRP library for multiple languages. Foreword by Heinrich Apfelmus. Illustrated by Duncan Hill.

Table of Contents

1. Stop listening!
2. Core FRP
3. Some everyday widget stuff
4. Writing a real application
5. New concepts
6. FRP on the web
7. Switch
8. Operational primitives
9. Continuous time
10. Battle of the paradigms
11. Programming in the real world
12. Helpers and patterns
13. Refactoring
14. Adding FRP to existing projects
15. Future directions

About the Author

Stephen Blackheath is a professional developer and FRP advocate. He's the primary author of the Sodium FRP library for Java.

Anthony Jones writes code for a living and has spent half a decade refactoring a Java based configuration GUI to a FRP based framework. He is a contributor to the Sodium project.