Dabbling in Erlang, part 2: A minimal introduction (2013)
15 hours ago
- #Pattern Matching
- #Erlang
- #Functional Programming
- Erlang variables use single assignment and act as mathematical variables, maintaining their value once bound.
- Pattern matching with the = operator allows for extracting data from structures and controlling program flow efficiently.
- Functions can be defined with multiple clauses using pattern matching in the head for concise, idiomatic code.
- Tuples are composite data types frequently used in Erlang for grouping values.
- Functions are uniquely identified by name and arity, with different arities representing distinct functions.
- Guards add constraints to pattern matching, often used in function heads, case, and if statements.
- Lists are key data structures, with efficient operations like extracting head and tail using the cons operator (|).
- Functions are first-class citizens, enabling higher-order functions, anonymous functions (funs), and function returns.
- List comprehensions provide a succinct way to build and modify lists, similar to set-builder notation.
- Pattern matching and list operations lead to readable and efficient code, central to Erlang programming.