höherOrdnungFunktion

A höherOrdnungFunktion, often translated as higher-order function, is a fundamental concept in functional programming. It refers to a function that can either take other functions as arguments or return a function as its result, or both. This capability allows for powerful abstractions and code reuse. By treating functions as first-class citizens, meaning they can be manipulated like any other data type, programmers can construct more flexible and expressive programs.

Common examples of higher-order functions include map, filter, and reduce. The map function takes a function and a collection, applying the given function to each element of the collection and returning a new collection with the results. The filter function, similarly, takes a predicate function and a collection, returning a new collection containing only those elements for which the predicate returns true. Reduce (also known as fold) applies a function cumulatively to the items of a collection, reducing it to a single value. These higher-order functions abstract away common iteration patterns, allowing developers to focus on the specific logic rather than the mechanics of looping. The concept is present in many programming languages, even those not traditionally considered purely functional.