Higher-order functions in OCaml

Higher-order functions in OCaml

Higher-order functions • A first-order function is one whose parameters and result are all "data" • A second-order function has one or more first-order functions as parameters or result • In general, a higher-order function has one or more functions as parameters or result • OCaml supports higher-order functions

Doubling, revisited # let rec doubleAll = function [] -> [] | (h::t) -> (2 * h)::(doubleAll t);; val doubleAll : int list -> int list # doubleAll [1;2;3;4;5];; - : int list = [2; 4; 6; 8; 10] • This is the usual heavy use of recursion • It's time to simplify things

map • map applies a function to every element of a list and returns a list of the results • map f [x, y, z] returns [f x, f y, f z] • Notice that map takes a function as an argument • Ignore for now the fact that map appears to take two arguments!

Doubling list elements with map # let double x = 2 * x;; val double : int -> int = <fun> # let doubleAll lst = map double lst;; val doubleAll : int list -> int list = <fun> # doubleAll [1;2;3;4;5];; - : int list = [2; 4; 6; 8; 10] • The definition of doubleAll is simpler, but... • ...now we need to expose double to the world

Anonymous functions • An anonymous function has the form (funparameter -> body) • Now we can define doubleAll aslet doubleAll lst = map (fun x -> 2*x) lst;; • This final definition is simple and doesn't require exposing an auxiliary function

The mysterious map • ML functions all take a single argument, but... • map double [1;2;3] works • map (double, [1;2;3]) gives a type error • Even stranger, (map double) [1;2;3] works! • # map double;; - : int list -> int list = <fun> • map double looks like a function...how?

Currying • In OCaml, functions are values, and there are operations on those values • Currying absorbs a parameter into a function, creating a new function • map takes one argument (a function), and returns one result (also a function)

Order of operations • let add (x, y) = x + y;; • # val add : int * int -> int = <fun> • But also consider: • # let add x y = x + y;; • val add : int -> int -> int = <fun> • add x y is grouped as (add x) y • and int -> int -> int as int -> (int -> int)

Writing a curried function I • # let add x y = x + y;; • val add : int -> int -> int = <fun> • That is, add has type int -> (int -> int) • Our new add takes an int argument and produces an (int -> int) result • (add 5) 3;; (* currying happens *) - : int = 8

Writing a curried function II • let addFive = add 5;; • # val addFive : int -> int = <fun> • Notice this is a val; we are manipulating values • # addFive 3;; (* use our new function *) • - : int = 8

Defining higher-order functions I # let apply1 (f, x) = f x;; val apply1 : ('a -> 'b) * 'a -> 'b = <fun> # apply1 (tl, [1;2;3]);; - : int list = [2; 3] • But: • # apply1 tl [1;2;3];; • Characters 7-9:This expression has type 'a list -> 'a list but is here used with type ('b -> int list -> 'c) * 'b

Defining higher-order functions II # let apply2 f x = f x;; val apply2 : ('a -> 'b) -> 'a -> 'b = <fun> # apply2 tl [1;2;3];; - : int list = [2; 3] # apply2 (tl, [1;2;3]);; Characters 8-19:This expression has type ('a list -> 'a list) * int list but is here used with type 'b -> 'c • Advantage: this form can be curried

A useful function: span • span finds elements at the front of a list that satisfy a given predicate • Example: • span even [2;4;6;7;8;9;10] gives [2, 4; 6] • span isn't a built-in; we have to write it

Implementing span # let rec span f lst = if f (hd lst) then (hd lst)::span f (tl lst) else [];; val span : ('a -> bool) -> 'a list -> 'a list = <fun> # span even [2;4;6;7;8;9;10];; - : int list = [2; 4; 6]

Extending span: span2 • span returns the elements at the front of a list that satisfy a predicate • Suppose we extend it to also return the remaining elements • We can do it with the tools we have, but more tools would be convenient

Generalized assignment • # let (a, b, c) = (8, 3, 6);; • val a : int = 8val b : int = 3val c : int = 6 • # let (x::xs) = [1;2;3;4];; • (* Non-exhaustive match warning deleted *)val x : int = 1val xs : int list = [2; 3; 4] • Generalized assignment is especially useful when a function returns a tuple

Defining local values with let • let declaration in expression • let decl1 in let decl2 in expression • # let a = 5 in let b = 10 in a + b;; • - : int = 15 • let helps avoid redundant computations

Example of let • # let circleArea radius = let pi = 3.1416 in let square x = x *. x in pi *. square radius;; • val circleArea : float -> float = <fun> • # circleArea 10.0;; • - : float = 314.160000

Implementing span2 # let rec span2 f lst = if f (hd lst) then let (first, second) = span2 f (tl lst) in ((hd lst :: first), second) else ([], lst);; val span2 : ('a -> bool) -> 'a list -> 'a list * 'a list = <fun> # span2 even [2;4;6;7;8;9;10];; - : int list * int list = [2; 4; 6], [7; 8; 9; 10]

Another built-in function: partition • Partition breaks a list into two lists: those elements that satisfy the predicate, and those that don't • Example: • # partition even [2;4;6;7;8;9;10];; - : int list * int list = [2; 4; 6; 8; 10], [7; 9]

Quicksort • Choose the first element as a pivot: • For [3;1;4;1;5;9;2;6;5] choose 3 as the pivot • Break the list into elements <= pivot, andelements > pivot: • [1; 1; 2] and [4; 5; 9; 6; 5] • Quicksort the sublists: • [1; 1; 2] and [4; 5; 5; 6; 9] • Append the sublists with the pivot in the middle: • [1; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 5; 6;, 9]

Quicksort in ML let rec quicksort = function [] -> [] | (x::xs) -> let (front, back) = partition (fun n -> n <= x) xs in (quicksort front) @ (x::(quicksort back));; val quicksort : 'a list -> 'a list = <fun> # quicksort [3;1;4;1;5;9;2;6;5;3;6];; - : int list = [1; 1; 2; 3; 3; 4; 5; 5; 6; 6; 9]

Testing if a list is sorted • The following code tests if a list is sorted: • # let rec sorted = function [] -> true | [_] -> true | (x::y::rest) -> x <= y && sorted (y::rest);; • val sorted : 'a list -> bool = <fun> • This applies a (boolean) test to each adjacent pair of elements and "ANDs" the results • Can we generalize this function?

Generalizing the sorted predicate • let rec sorted list = match list with [] -> true | [_] -> true | (x::y::rest) ->x <= y && sorted (y::rest);; • The underlined part is the only part specific to this particular function • We can replace it with a predicate passed in as a parameter

pairwise • let rec pairwise f list = match list with [] -> true | [_] -> true | (x::y::rest) ->(f x y) && pairwise f (y::rest);; • Here are the changes we have made: • Changed the name from sorted to pairwise • Added the parameter f in two places • changed x <= y to (f x y)

Using pairwise # pairwise (<=) [1;3;5;5;9];; - : bool = true # pairwise (<=) [1;3;5;9;5];; - : bool = false # pairwise (fun x y -> x = y - 1) [3;4;5;6;7];; - : bool = true # pairwise (fun x y -> x = y - 1) [3;4;5;7];; - : bool = false

The End

Higher-order functions in OCaml