This course is part of the Functional Programming in Scala Specialization

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Martin Odersky

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Functional Programming in Scala SpecializationÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

About this Course

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Functional programming is becoming increasingly widespread in industry. This trend is driven by the adoption of Scala as the main programming language for many applications. Scala fuses functional and object-oriented programming in a practical package. It interoperates seamlessly with both Java and Javascript. Scala is the implementation language of many important frameworks, including Apache Spark, Kafka, and Akka. It provides the core infrastructure for sites such as Twitter, Netflix, Zalando, and also Coursera.
In this course, you will discover the elements of the functional programming style and learn how to apply them usefully in your daily programming tasks, such as modeling business domains or implementing business logic. You will also develop a solid foundation for reasoning about functional programs, by touching upon proofs of invariants and the tracing of execution symbolically.

The course is hands-on; most units introduce short programs that serve as illustrations of important concepts and invite you to play with them, modifying and improving them. The course is complemented by a series of programming projects as homework assignments.

Recommended background: You should have at least one year of programming experience. Proficiency with Java or C# is ideal, but experience with other languages such as C/C++, Python, Javascript, or Ruby is also sufficient. You should have some background in mathematics (e.g., algebra, logic, proof by induction). Last, you should have some familiarity with using the command line.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Course 1 of 5 in the

Functional Programming in Scala Specialization

Intermediate Level

At least one year of programming (in any language)

Approx. 56 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Understand the principles of functional programming
Write purely functional programs, using recursion, pattern matching, and higher-order functions
Design immutable data structures
Combine functional programming with objects and classes

Skills you will gain

Scala Programming
Recursion
Functional Programming
Immutable Data Types
Higher-Order Function

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 5 in the

Functional Programming in Scala Specialization

Intermediate Level

At least one year of programming (in any language)

Approx. 56 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.8/5 (593 Ratings)

Martin Odersky

Offered by

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating91%(19,545 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

14 hours to complete

Getting Started + Functions & Evaluation

14 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 52 min), 7 readings, 10 quizzes

8 videos

Course Introduction1mLecture 1.1 - Programming Paradigms2mLecture 1.2 - Elements of Programming12mLecture 1.3 - Evaluation Strategies and Termination4mLecture 1.4 - Conditionals and Value Definitions8mLecture 1.5 - Example: square roots with Newton's method4mLecture 1.6 - Blocks and Lexical Scope8mLecture 1.7 - Tail recursion9m

7 readings

Working on Assignments5mTools Setup (Please read)10mScala 3 REPL and Worksheets10mCheat Sheet10mSBT tutorial and Submission of Assignments (Please read)10mLearning Resources10mScala Style Guide10m

7 practice exercises

Programming Paradigms30mElements of Programming30mEvaluation Strategies and Termination30mSquare roots with Newton's method30mBlocks and Lexical Scope30mTail recursion30mLearning check-in30m

Week2

Week 2

10 hours to complete

Higher Order Functions

10 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 73 min)

8 videos

Week 2: Introduction31sLecture 2.1 - Higher-order functions8mLecture 2.2 - Currying15mLecture 2.3 - Example: Finding Fixed Points7mLecture 2.4 - Scala Syntax Summary4mLecture 2.5 - Functions and Data10mLecture 2.6 - More Fun With Rationals13m2.7 - Evaluations and Operators13m

5 practice exercises

Higher-order functions30mCurrying30mFunctions and data30mMore Fun With Rationals30mEvaluations and Operators30m

Week3

Week 3

9 hours to complete

Data and Abstraction

9 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 58 min)

Week4

Week 4

10 hours to complete

Types and Pattern Matching

10 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 69 min)

Reviews

4.8

1660 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
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3 stars
1.69%
2 stars
0.63%
1 star
0.57%

TOP REVIEWS FROM FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES IN SCALA

by AJJun 12, 2019

This is a remarkable course in which the creator of the Scala programming language not only teaches the language but also offers deep insights into the theory of programming and computer science.

by GSSep 17, 2022

The course is very well structured and explained, I enjoyed and learned a lot. At least for me, I needed way more time for understanding the theory and completing the exercises than what estimated.

by DFJan 13, 2019

The course in general is kind of theoretical. Some of the homeworks are fairly challenging. I found it a useful companion to the Programming in Scala book, which I'm working through at the moment.

by PBSep 27, 2016

I have never worked with Scala before. But this course has not only given me, basic level introduction but also taught me advanced concepts and how to apply those concepts in real world problems.

View all reviews

About the Functional Programming in Scala Specialization

Discover how to write elegant code that works the first time it is run.

This Specialization provides a hands-on introduction to functional programming using the widespread programming language, Scala. It begins from the basic building blocks of the functional paradigm, first showing how to use these blocks to solve small problems, before building up to combining these concepts to architect larger functional programs. You'll see how the functional paradigm facilitates parallel and distributed programming, and through a series of hands on examples and programming assignments, you'll learn how to analyze data sets small to large; from parallel programming on multicore architectures, to distributed programming on a cluster using Apache Spark. A final capstone project will allow you to apply the skills you learned by building a large data-intensive application using real-world data.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Which version of Scala is covered by this course?
This course covers the latest stable version of Scala. You can find the legacy version of the same course based on Scala 2 here.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Functional Programming Principles in Scala

About this Course

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Skills you will gain