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| <a name="phoenix.introduction"></a><a class="link" href="introduction.html" title="Introduction">Introduction</a> |
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| The Phoenix library enables FP techniques such as higher order functions, |
| <span class="emphasis"><em>lambda</em></span> (unnamed functions), <span class="emphasis"><em>currying</em></span> |
| (partial function application) and lazy evaluation in C++. The focus is more |
| on usefulness and practicality than purity, elegance and strict adherence to |
| FP principles. |
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| <p> |
| FP is a programming discipline that is not at all tied to a specific language. |
| FP as a programming discipline can, in fact, be applied to many programming |
| languages. In the realm of C++ for instance, we are seeing more FP techniques |
| being applied. C++ is sufficiently rich to support at least some of the most |
| important facets of FP. C++ is a multi-paradigm programming language. It is |
| not only procedural. It is not only object oriented. Beneath the core of the |
| standard C++ library, a closer look into STL gives us a glimpse of FP already |
| in place. It is obvious that the authors of STL know and practice FP. In the |
| near future, we shall surely see more FP trickle down into the mainstream. |
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| <p> |
| The truth is, most of the FP techniques can coexist quite well with the standard |
| object oriented and imperative programming paradigms. When we are using STL |
| algorithms and functors (function objects) for example, we are already doing |
| FP. Phoenix is an evolutionary next step. |
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| <td align="right"><div class="copyright-footer">Copyright © 2002-2005 Joel |
| de Guzman, Dan Marsden<p> |
| Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying |
| file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at <a href="http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt" target="_top">http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>) |
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