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Lambda Calculus - Fundamentals of Lambda Calculus & Functional Programming in JavaScript

Fullstack Academy · lecture · Watch on YouTube

Computability & complexity theoryFunctional programming

What it is

Gabriel Lebec's Fullstack Academy talk introduces lambda calculus syntax, the history of mathematical logic, and the essence of functional programming using JavaScript. It also covers combinators, currying and Church encodings.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Repeatedly recommended as one of the most approachable introductions to lambda calculus and combinators.

  • 5 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 3 strong recommendations
  • first 2019, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “It's one of the best I've come across”

    Intro to combinators and Church encodings with JavaScript equivalents

    triyambakam, 2020-09 · Strong recommendation · in “All you need is λ, part one: booleans”

  2. “I adore Gabriel Lebec's talk”

    Combinatory logic explained through birds, in JavaScript

    autophagian, 2022-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Logic”

  3. “they are the most approachable videos on the topic I have ever seen.”

    Approachable videos on combinators and lambda calculus

    Zhyl, 2024-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: What resources do you recommend for learning Haskell?”

  4. “I suggest you to watch this video if you want to understand how 3 basic functions can be used to create whole language”

    Shows how a few basic functions build a whole language

    ayushgp, 2019-08 · Recommendation · in “Lisp is not based on the Lambda Calculus”

  5. “If you pick the right intro video, they'll stray into combinators”

    Good lambda calculus intro that strays into combinators

    zellyn, 2024-02 · Recommendation · in “A little closer to finding what became Moses Schönfinkel (2021)”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: lambda calculus, combinators, functional programming, javascript, currying

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