I hear they are good, make it easier to maintain code-bases. Most often I reach for python to get the job done. Does anyone have experiences with functional languages for larger projects?
In particular I am interested to learn more on how to handle databases, and writing to them and what patterns they come up with. Is a database handle you can write to not … basically mutable state, the arch-nemesis of functional languages?
Are functional languages only useful with an imperative shell?
“Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of your days, even if you never actually use Lisp itself a lot.” — Eric S. Raymond, How to Become a Hacker
There’s definitely some truth behind the hyperbole in that quote and there are quite a lot of techniques from functional programming that can be used also in a language like Python with good results, when used judiciously.
I highly agree with the sentiment. Learning languages of different paradigms is sort of like travelling to visit other cultures to make you a more rounded, better person. Learn a functional language (lisp/Haskell). Learn a concatenative language (forth/Factor). Learn a logical language (Prolog/?). Heck even learn an assembly! (I suggest RISC-V).