COMP 311: Functional Programming (Fall 2017)

Instructors

Dr. Nick Vrvilo (2σ)

Dr. Corky Cartwright

Graduate TAs
  • Yao-Hsiang Yang
  • Weixi Zhu
Undergraduate TAs
  • Nate Kim

Lectures

MEL 251 (Mechanical Laboratories)

Lecture Times

4pm–5:15pm TR

Course Email{nick.vrvilo,cork}@rice.eduOnline DiscussionPiazza – Rice Comp 311

 

Description

This class provides an introduction to concepts, principles, and approaches of functional programming. Functional programming is a style of programming in which the key means of computation is the application of functions to arguments (which themselves can be functions). This style of programming has a long history in computer science, beginning with the formulation of the Lambda Calculus as a foundation for mathematics. It has become increasingly popular in recent years because it offers important advantages in designing, maintaining, and reasoning about programs in modern contexts such as web services, multicore programming, and distributed computing. Course work consists of a series of programming assignments in the Scala programming language and various extensions.

Grading, Honor Code Policy, Processes, and Procedures
 

Grading will be based on your performance on weekly programming assignments. All work in this class is expected to be your own, and you are expected not to post your solutions or share your work with other students, even after you have taken the course. Please read the Comp 311 Honor Code Policy for more details on how you are expected to work on your assignments.

All students will be held to the standards of the Rice Honor Code, a code that you pledged to honor when you matriculated at this institution. If you are unfamiliar with the details of this code and how it is administered, you should consult the Honor System Handbook. This handbook outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of your academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process.

 
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
 

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact me during the first two weeks of class regarding special needs. Students with disabilities should also contact Disabled Student Services in the  Ley Student Center  and the  Rice Disability Support Services .


General Information

 

Course Syllabus 
Homework Submission Guide
Office Hours
NickBy Appointment--
Corky

Wednesday

Tuesday, Thursday

2pm–4pm

9:15am–10:30am

DCH 3110

DCH 3104

TAsCheck Piazza--
Textbooks
Online Videos
Development Environment

 

Lecture Schedule (Subject to Change Without Notice)

Conditional Functions on Ranges, Point Values, and Compound Datatypes

Semantics of Type Checking, Binary Methods, Abstract Datatypes

For Expressions, Monads, The Environment Model of Reduction

Call-by-Name, Environment Model of Type Checking, Generative Recursion

Week

Day

Date

Topic

Work AssignedWork Due

1

Tu

Aug 22

Overview, Motivation

  
 ThAug 24What are Types, Core ScalaHwk 0 

2

Tu

Aug 30

  
 ThSep 01  

3

Tu

Sep 06

Doubles, Programming with Intention, The Design Recipe

  
 ThSep 08Functions on Ranges, Point Values, Compound Datatypes  

4

Tu

Sep 13

Methods, Grading, DrScala

  

 

Th

Sep 15

Static Type Checking, Abstract Datatypes

Hwk 1 

5

Tu

Sep 20

Subtyping of Arrow Types, Exceptions*

  

 

Th

Sep 22

Abstract Datatypes 2, Recursively Defined Types*

  

6

Tu

Sep 27

Recursively Defined Types 2, Functions as Values*

  

 

Th

Sep 29

Higher-Order Functions*

Hwk 2Hwk 1

7

Tu

Oct 04

Functions as Values, Parametric Types*  

 

Th

Oct 06

"Growing a Language," Guy L. Steele, Jr.*

  

8

Tu

Oct 11

MIDTERM RECESS

  

 

Th

Oct 13

Currying, Fold, Flatmap, and For Expressions*

Hwk 3Hwk 2

9

Tu

Oct 18

For Expressions, Monads, The Environment Model* 

 

Th

Oct 20

Scala Collections Classes, Traits*

  

10

Tu

Oct 25

Call-by-Name, Type Environments, Generative Recursion*

  

 

Th

Oct 27

Strategies for Generative Recursion*

Hwk 4Hwk 3

11

Tu

Nov 01

Accumulators*

  

 

Th

Nov 03

Functional Data Structures*

  

12

Tu

Nov 08

Streams, State, Mutation*

  

 

Th

Nov 10

Mechanical Proof Checkin, The Curry-Howard Isomorphism*

Hwk 5Hwk 4

13

Tu

Nov 15

The State Monad*

  

 

Th

Nov 17

Additional Scala Features, Extractors, Parser Combinators*

  
14TuNov 22More Parser Combinators, Actors and Concurrency*Hwk 6Hwk 5

 

Th

Nov 24

THANKSGIVING

  

15

Tu

Nov 28

Functional Distributed Computing*

  
 ThDec 01Course Wrap Up Hwk 6

* Lectures slides not yet updated from last year are marked with an asterisk.