first-class-functions

Don't first class functions mean that they behave as variables? Clearly they don't behave exactly like variables though, since this: console.log(foo); var foo = 'bar'; ...doesn't work, whereas this: console.log(foo()); function foo() { return('bar'); } ...does. That said, this: console.log(foo()); var foo = function() { return 'bar'; }; doesn't work, which is more consistent. What gives? Because you don't compare the same thing. In your example - you compare function declaration function foo()... with variable declaration and assignment in var foo = 'bar'; A more correct comparison would be of

I am still confused about what first-class functions are. If I understand correctly, first-class functions should use one function as an object. Is this correct? Is this a first-class function ? def this_is_example(myarg1): return myarg1 def this_is_another_ example(myarg): return this_is_example(myarg)+myarg this_is_another_ example(1) A first-class function is not a particular kind of function. All functions in Python are first-class functions. To say that functions are first-class in a certain programming language means that they can be passed around and manipulated similarly to how you

In python, it's fairly straightforward to reference a function: >>> def foo(): ... print "foo called" ... return 1 ... >>> x = foo >>> foo() foo called 1 >>> x() foo called 1 >>> x <function foo at 0x1004ba5f0> >>> foo <function foo at 0x1004ba5f0> However, it seems to be different in Ruby since a naked foo actually calls foo: ruby-1.9.2-p0 > def foo ruby-1.9.2-p0 ?> print "foo called" ruby-1.9.2-p0 ?> 1 ruby-1.9.2-p0 ?> end => nil ruby-1.9.2-p0 > x = foo foo called => 1 ruby-1.9.2-p0 > foo foo called => 1 ruby-1.9.2-p0 > x => 1 How do I actually assign the function foo to x and then call it?

What is a first class citizen function? Does Java supports first class citizen function? Edit: As mention on Wikepedia First class functions are a necessity for the functional programming style. Is there any other use of first class functions? A language that considers procedures to be "first-class" allows functions to be passed around just like any other value . Languages like Java 7 (and earlier) and C "kind of" have this capability: C allows function pointers to be passed around, but you can't dynamically define a function in those languages and suddenly pass that somewhere else. Java