COMP2209: Programming III

What the module covered

This module introduced functional programming through Haskell, covering pattern matching, recursion, higher-order functions, algebraic data types, type classes, and lazy evaluation. It also explored functors, applicatives, monads, and lambda calculus, with a look at functional techniques in Java and JavaScript.

The coursework consisted of programming challenges, including parsing and an interpreter. I used HUnit for example-based tests and QuickCheck to check properties across generated inputs, and profiled the implementations with GHC’s runtime tools.

What I took from it

Combining example-based and property-based tests was particularly useful. A few hand-picked inputs could check expected results, while QuickCheck helped look for discrepancies across a much wider range of expressions. My report also distinguished keeping the code simple from making it efficient: concise recursive code still needed performance checks.