Hello Scala (PDF)
Hello Scala is an introductory book to the Scala programming language, written by Alvin Alexander. This book is intended for developers who are interested in learning Scala, a powerful, modern, and concise programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
The book is divided into chapters, each building on the knowledge and concepts introduced in the previous chapters. The first chapter provides an overview of Scala and its features, including its functional programming capabilities and its interoperability with Java. The author then proceeds to cover the basic syntax of Scala, including variables, data types, control structures, and functions.
One of the unique features of Scala is its support for functional programming paradigms. In Hello Scala, Alvin Alexander explains these concepts in detail, including higher-order functions, currying, closures, and immutability. These concepts may be new to developers who are used to imperative programming, but they are powerful tools for writing clear, concise, and maintainable code.
The author also covers object-oriented programming in Scala, including classes, inheritance, and traits. Scala’s type system is particularly powerful, and Hello Scala covers the basics of type inference, variance, and type bounds. This knowledge is essential for writing correct and efficient Scala code.
In addition to the core features of Scala, the book also covers practical topics such as working with collections, file I/O, and concurrency. The author explains the use of the Scala collections library, which provides a rich set of collection classes and methods for manipulating data. The book also covers the basics of concurrency in Scala, including the actor model and the Future API.
Overall, Hello Scala is an excellent introduction to Scala for developers who are interested in learning this powerful language. The author’s clear and concise writing style, coupled with practical examples and exercises, makes the book an accessible and engaging resource for anyone who wants to master Scala. Whether you are a Java developer looking to expand your skills, or a newcomer to programming, Hello Scala is a book that you should definitely check out.