Samuel Williams, 10.05.2010 14:24:
Is Python a functional programming language?
No. Python is a multi-paradigm language. But it does have functions (and methods) as first-class objects.
Is this a paradigm that is well supported by both the language syntax and the general programming APIs?
I'd say so, but it certainly depends on what functional language features you desire.
I heard that lambdas were limited to a single expression
... which is a good thing. An expression in Python can do pretty complex things already. Not allowing more puts a limit to code readability degradation.
and that other functional features were slated for removal in Python 3... is this the case or have I been misinformed?
No such functionality has been removed in Py3, and in fact, several core language features were adapted to make functional programming easier and more efficient.
Finally, even if Python supports functional features, is this a model that is used often in client/application code?
From my point of view, yes. But the beauty is that Python is multi-paradigm, so you're not restricted to functional language features.
Stefan -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
