Scala from Scratch: Exploration

by Daniel Westheide

Scala from Scratch: Exploration is the first in a series of two books that teach you the Scala programming language. Readers that have some experience with an object-oriented or imperative language, like Java, Ruby, or Python, will get a comprehensive overview of what Scala brings to the table. The goal is to get you excited about Scala and give you a strong foundation for writing your first applications and continuing your journey. By the end of the book, you will have a good idea of what it's like to work with Scala, and you will have written a small, but complete command-line application based on a Functional Core, Imperative Shell architecture.

In this book you will learn about functional and object-oriented aspects of Scala. You will learn how to write expressive, intent-revealing code using pattern matching, functional sequence processing and for comprehensions, and how to design data types that enforce their business invariants in a functional way, without throwing exceptions. You will get a first glimpse at Scala's powerful type system and how to abstract over concrete types, and you will learn all there is to know about working with Option, Scala's approach at avoiding the million dollar mistake of null references.

If you are excited and want to continue your journey, you will be able to do with the upcoming second book in the series, Scala from Scratch: Understanding, which will go even deeper into the topics explored in this book and will discuss advanced language features and patterns.

244 pages, ebook

Published December 8, 2019

Reviews

[Peter Perhac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've basically learned to program Scala from Daniel and his remarkable Neophyte's Guide to Scala. The Scala from Scratch: Exploration e-book is a well written and thoughtfully structured piece of beginner-friendly technical writing. If you are about to embark on a Scala-learning journey and you're not sure where to begin, then start here. This book would be my number 1 recommendation for your starting point.

I am a huge fan of Daniel's style of writing. There are no gaps and holes, no jumps and leaps, all nicely and clearly explained with examples. And starts "from scratch" as promised in the title.

[Jofla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just started reading it but it has a really good start, I have never been lost so far because the author covers everything needed. I will update my review after I finish the book, but so far so good.

[update]: I just finished the book and I give it a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 just
because It could have had the solutions of the exercises to compare my work with Daniel's.

[Callé Philippe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Completely outdated. relies on personnal libraies that crash at first start.