Скачать или смотреть Functional concepts in Smalltalk: The Y Combinator

Speaker: Javier Gelatti
The Y combinator (also sometimes called fixed-point combinator) is a function that can be used to implement simple recursion in languages where it is not possible to refer to the definition of a function from within itself (for example, in Lambda Calculus).

While most developers have heard about the Y combinator (at least as the name of an american company), it still remains as an arcane concept, considered very difficult to explain and understand. Most classical explanations are based on a deductive approach that is very difficult to reconcile with the way we think and the tools we use while we develop software (like unit tests or automated refactorings).

In this talk, I will introduce the concept of the Y combinator, and show how its implementation can be derived using Smalltalk.