When should I use serialization library in boost?

Which functional programming language is suitable as a precursor to learning C++ template metaprogramming?

• Related question: This and the related questions are different approaches that can be taken in the path of learning C++ template metaprogramming. Focus: This question posits that it may be easier if one has previous exposure to one other functional programming language, and then asks which language it would be. Clarification: these questions do not ask about basic use of C++ templates. These questions aim to prepare a C++ library developer to make use of the compile-time facilities in C++ template metaprogramming for the purpose of synthesizing (weaving) optimized code, where a high level of confidence of correctness can be attained. Background information: Recently I developed a C++ metaprogramming library that synthesizes bit permutation functions (executable code) given the hypercube permutation specification (in BPC notation - see http://programming.sirrida.de/bit_perm.html ). However, the resulting code base is inelegant, in part because the intended application project decides against including Boost MPL into the build. Only a handful of MPL functions would be needed, but I would have to write my own. Having no functional-programming background, I find this to be even harder to do, compared to the writing of the first draft of this permutation library. Concrete examples encountered in the background: A sequence of types, supporting up to 8 arguments. A fold metafunction for a binary operation (int, int -> int) for up to 8 arguments. The integers may be either integers, or http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/types/integral_constant A metafunction for inverting an array permutation. See my other question about:

• Answer:

  I'm currently taking Functional Programming Principles in Scala on Coursera, the professor is the designer of Scala. I am new to Functional Programming(FP) and find it very alien to my former understanding of programming. As I followed the classes, the thought pattern in FP reminds me of C++ metaprogramming quite often despite the fact that I don't know the intimate relationship between them until reading the question. Taking this class(and the book by the same author) helped me a lot think in FP paradigm.