Question

A lot of the values provided in the default environment have the type function. A function is a piece of program wrapped in a value. Such values can be applied in order to run the wrapped program. For example, in a browser environment, the variable alert holds a function that shows a little dialog box with a message. It is used like this:

alert("Good morning!");

Executing a function is called invoking, calling, or applying it. You can call a function by putting parentheses after an expression that produces a function value. Usually you’ll directly use the name of the variable that holds the function. The values between the parentheses are given to the program inside the function. In the example, the alert function uses the string that we give it as the text to show in the dialog box. Values given to functions are called arguments. The alert function needs only one of them, but other functions might need a different number or different types of arguments.

This is a book about getting computers to do what you want them to do. Computers are about as common as screwdrivers today, but they contain a lot more hidden complexity and thus are harder to operate and understand. To many, they remain alien, slightly threatening things.