A Web Server Application: A Functional Language Approach

Functional languages have always lagged behind in popularity against imperative languages. However, this fact is changing as programmers realize the many advantages functional languages have over imperative ones (i.e., no side-effects). Traditionally, functional languages have been associated with artificial intelligence, machine learning, speech modeling, logic, and mathematical proof systems, among others. Nowadays, current applications include telecommunications, robotics, social networks and web development.

It is known that traditional imperative web servers use a stateless model for users with stateless programming, meaning that an application executes and then terminates. This leads to problems in retrieving and keeping track of user data. For instance, in online shopping, accidentally clicking the buy button twice can make a second purchase of the same item. This is a kind of dangling-reference problem (no pointer to keep user data effectively).  In this work we take a brief look at functional programming, their fundamental properties, their advantages over imperative languages, and their real world applications. We also explore a functional programming approach via Scheme using the concept of continuation to solve the dangling-reference problem of an imperative web server.