Functional calculus

In the context of computer science, a functional calculus is an algebraic system (a calculus) where functions are considered values.

In a functional calculus there are functions, which may be definable, or provided as primitives. Functions may be passed to other functions, returned from functions, and so on.

Being algebraic systems, functional calculi are expressible as rewriting systems, generally tree rewriting since algebraic expressions are often structured as trees.

The theory of functional calculus serves as the basis for functional programming.

Examples

• Lambda calculus
• Combinatory logic
• Concatenative calculus