F# is designed to make functional programming practical and accessible, especially for developers working on the .NET platform. This book will get you started.
In F# in Action you will learn how to
Write performant and robust systems with succinct F# code
Model domains quickly, easily and accurately with F#โs type system
Design solutions using functional programming patterns
Ingest and process disparate data sources
Develop data-driven web applications
Unit test F# code
Effectively model data using a variety of techniques
Use scripts to rapidly explore domains
F# in Action teaches you the practical F# development skills you need to create professional applications. Itโs based on author and Microsoft F# MVP Isaac Abrahamโs years of experience working with developers as an F# consultant. Youโll upgrade your .NET development skills with the core principles of functional programming, and discover how F#โs functional-first approach makes it easy to learn this powerful paradigm.
about the technology
F# is a general-purpose programming language thatโs designed to build systems that are robust, succinct and performant across Windows, Mac and Linux.
It has a lightweight syntax, yet a powerful type-system and compiler. This makes it a compelling choice for writing applications, as it enables developers to rapidly model real-world systems in a way that does what they intend. Itโs also an opinionated language with a set of characteristics that it is optimized towards.
And as F# runs on the modern, lightweight and cross-platform .NET Core runtime, it has a large, mature ecosystem of free and commercial tools and libraries, ranging from web servers, database access, cloud, data and analytical libraries, actor frameworks, and more. This means that you wonโt have to create entire platforms yourself, but instead re-use existing battle-tested components that are already out there, leaving you to focus on delivering business value. You can seamlessly interoperate with C# code, creating hybrid F# / C# solutions if required โ so if youโre already using .NET, much of what you already know about the platform will continue to apply.
about the book
F# in Action swiftly guides you from Functional Programming novice all the way to putting F# applications into production! It leverages your existing knowledge of software development and the .NET platform to get you up-and-running fast. Youโll quickly master the F# you need to start getting stuff done. Learn how you can use scripts to rapidly explore .NET libraries and packages, and level up your .NET skills for data exploration and analysis. Youโll even discover how F#โs โlight touchโ approach to functional programming ensures error-free code without the complex math you might normally associate with FP.