When comparing Scala for the Impatient vs Functional Programming in Scala, the Slant community recommends Scala for the Impatient for most people. In the question“What are the best resources to learn Scala?” Scala for the Impatient is ranked 4th while Functional Programming in Scala is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Scala for the Impatient is:
Many Scala books aim to teach not just the language, but programming theory as well. "Scala for the Impatient" focuses only on teaching the syntax and features of Scala, making it a great option for experienced programmers looking to pick up the language quickly.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Focuses on teaching the language
Many Scala books aim to teach not just the language, but programming theory as well. "Scala for the Impatient" focuses only on teaching the syntax and features of Scala, making it a great option for experienced programmers looking to pick up the language quickly.
Pro Easy to read and concise introduction to Scala
For experienced developers, this book will quickly get you running with Scala.
Pro Creative, fun exercises
"Functional Programming in Scala" offers no shortage of exercises. Throughout the book, exercises and examples are plentiful to help the reader put what they're learning into practice for a better understanding.
Pro Does an excellent job of teaching functional programming
"Functional Programming in Scala" focuses on building a strong foundation in Functional Programming(FP). It fully explains FP concepts, including the "why" behind everything discussed.
Cons
Con Author takes a Java-centric approach to many topics
If you aren't arriving at Scala with a Java background, some of the examples may seem unnecessarily focused on OOP inheritance relationships and core Java libraries.
Con Unreadable source code on Kindle
In order to view a properly formatted version of the code, the reader has to click a link which takes them to the index. It is then extremely difficult for the reader to find their original place in the book and continue reading.
Con Not for beginners
The material gets advanced pretty quickly. The material in the book is more effective if you already have an introduction to category theory and combinatorial analysis.
Con Only uses Scala as a medium to teach functional programming
Rather than focusing on teaching the language (such as the syntax), "Functional Programming in Scala" only uses Scala as the medium for teaching functional programming. This means the reader needs to already have some experience with Scala.