Sketch of how to make a functional style controller in PHP

functional_php_web_app.php

<?php
/**
 * This is by no means complete, but it's a sketch of an idea I had to create a
 * classless functional style framework for PHP.
 *
 * It might turn out to be something cool!
 */

// This function allows creating a new function from two functions passed into it
function compose(&$f, &$g) {
  // Return the composed function
  return function() use($f,$g) {
    // Get the arguments passed into the new function
    $x = func_get_args();
    // Call the function to be composed with the arguments
    // and pass the result into the first function.
    return $f(call_user_func_array($g, $x));
  };
}

// Convenience wrapper for mapping
function map(&$data, &$f) {
  return array_map($f, $data);
}

// Convenience wrapper for filtering arrays
function filter(&$data, &$f) {
  return array_filter($data, $f);
}

// Convenience wrapper for reducing arrays
function fold(&$data, &$f) {
  return array_reduce($data, $f);
}

// Page controller
$page = function($method, $params) {

  // Setup null fallback method
  $$method = function() {
    return null;
  };

  // Page Index
  $index = function() use($params) {
   return "page->index\n";
  };

  // Method to view a page
  $view = function() use($params) {
    return "page->view->{$params['id']}\n";
  };

  // Method to add a page
  $set = function() use($params) {
    return "page->set->{$params['id']}\n";
  };

  // Method to delete a page
  $delete = function() use($params) {
    return "page->delete->{$params['id']}\n";
  };

  return $$method();
};

// Get the controller
$controller = 'page';
$controller = $$controller;
// Methods to run
$methods = array('index', 'view', 'set', 'delete');
// Fake params passed into the web app
$params = array('id' => 'index');
// Curry the controller method, while composing it with print_r
/* Highly functional, I know... */
$curry = function($method) use($controller,$params) {
  // Execute the controller method
  print_r ($controller($method, $params));
  return null;
};

// Run all the methods
map($methods, $curry);

interesting, could you explain the idea in words? thanks!

oh just read the note about not emulating this... thanks

Yeah, I should make it more clear that this was just a hack to demonstrate an idea. I have a much better example in my head, but I need to actually write it out when I have time.

please tell me perhaps I can try :) you are genius

…

On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 10:41 PM, Jill Burrows ***@***.*** wrote: Yeah, I should make it more clear that this was just a hack to demonstrate an idea. I have a much better example in my head, but I need to actually write it out when I have time. ## Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://gist.github.com/941836

Hi, if you're still doing some PHP, and still looking into doing FP web apps, here's my attempt at it.

https://gist.github.com/noodlehaus/6539739