Syntax considered harmful

gistfile1.hs

-- When your code grows too big for a line:

separateParens = foldr (\ head tail -> if head == '(' then head : ' ' : tail else if head == ')' then ' ' : head : tail else head : tail) []

-- Your natural instinct is to add new lines and comments:

separateParens =
    foldr (\ head tail -> 
        if head == '('
            then head : ' ' : tail     -- inserts space after left parens
            else if head == ')'
                then ' ' : head : tail -- inserts space before right parens
                else head : tail)
        []

-- Or even use special syntax:

separateParens = foldr detacher [] where 
    detacher '(' tail  = '(' : ' ' : tail -- inserts space after left parens
    detacher ')' tail  = ' ' : ')' : tail -- inserts space before left parens
    detacher head tail = head : tail

-- But, when you use the proper abstractions...

insertAfter el ins  = concatMap (\x -> if x == el then [x,ins] else [x])
insertBefore el ins = concatMap (\x -> if x == el then [ins,x] else [x])

-- No comments, no formatting, no special syntax:

separateParens = insertAfter '(' ' ' . insertBefore ')' ' '

-- One line is all you ever need.

-- .
-- .
-- .

-- This is just a particular example, but I've challenged myself to write every
-- function in single line since a month ago and I'm yet to see one occasion where
-- this didn't work. Indeed, so far it only lead to more readable code and better
-- abstractions. After this experience, I'd argue needing comments/lines/syntax is
-- a good indicative something isn't properly abstracted. After all, if functional
-- programming is so inherently powerful, why would it need to be supplmented with
-- so many special features? Think about it, and give it a try!
-- ~SrPx