Lambda calculus
Lambda calculus is a formal language that can serve as a foundation of all general purpose programming languages. It is also a kind of Universal Data Abstraction. Essentially, a lambda calculus is a recursively defined dictionary with just three branches of possible values.
| Syntax | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| x | Variable | A character or string representing a parameter or mathematical/logical value. |
| (λx.M) | Abstraction | Function definition (M is a lambda term). The variable x becomes bound in the expression. |
| (M N) | Application | Applying a function to an argument. M and N are lambda terms. |
Lambda Calculus expressed in Backus-Naur form
Relevant Learning Material
A nice video[1] tutorial by Hutton is available. An interactive web page to illustrate the working process of Lambda calculus can be found here: Syntax of the Lambda Calculus.
References
- ↑ Graham, Hutton (January 28, 2017). Lambda Calculus - Computerphile. local page: Computerphile.