F## is a functional programming language that compiles to .NET Intermediate Language (IL). C## is becoming a more functional programming language. The latest version of C## (9) has new features that make functional programming more accessible. The good news is that because both languages compile to IL, we can use them interchangeably. We can reference F## projects in C## projects and vice versa. Also, with the use of dnSpy, we can convert IL to C#. This article explains how to compile an F## assembly (IL) and then reference it in C## or convert it to C#. It gives C## programmers the rich feature set of F## without having to port all of the code.
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What is Functional Programming?
The Wikipedia text explains it well.
In computer science, functional programming is a programming paradigm where programs are constructed by applying and composing functions. It is a declarative programming paradigm in which function definitions are trees of expressions that each return a value, rather than a sequence of imperative statements which change the state of the program.
_In functional programming, functions are treated as first-class citizens, meaning that they can be bound to names (including local identifiers), passed as arguments, and returned from other functions, just as any other data type can. This allows programs to be written in a declarative and composable style, where small functions are combined in a modular manner. _
We usually divide languages into two categories: functional and imperative. The imperative approach focuses on supplying step by step instructions in loops, while functional languages rely on expressions and the concept of higher order functions for a more declarative style. We usually call C## an imperative language and F## a functional language, but you should understand that neither language is purely functional or imperative, and both have imperative and functional constructs. So, it can be misleading to categorize either of them. In C#, you are free to mix and match the approaches. Purists would argue that mixing the approaches is a bad idea, but you’re probably already using some C## functional constructs, as you will see. It’s up to you and your team to decide how much of a functional approach you take with C## code.
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