Merge pull request #1 from adambard/master

update

1 files changed, 100 insertions, 44 deletions

diff --git a/erlang.html.markdown b/erlang.html.markdown
index 04086aeb..a9d280d7 100644
--- a/erlang.html.markdown
+++ b/erlang.html.markdown
@@ -18,29 +18,32 @@ filename: learnerlang.erl
 % Periods (`.`) (followed by whitespace) separate entire functions and
 % expressions in the shell.
 % Semicolons (`;`) separate clauses. We find clauses in several contexts:
-% function definitions and in `case`, `if`, `try..catch` and `receive`
+% function definitions and in `case`, `if`, `try..catch`, and `receive`
 % expressions.
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 %% 1. Variables and pattern matching.
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 
+% In Erlang new variables are bound with an `=` statement.
 Num = 42.  % All variable names must start with an uppercase letter.
 
-% Erlang has single assignment variables, if you try to assign a different value
-% to the variable `Num`, you’ll get an error.
+% Erlang has single-assignment variables; if you try to assign a different
+% value to the variable `Num`, you’ll get an error.
 Num = 43. % ** exception error: no match of right hand side value 43
 
 % In most languages, `=` denotes an assignment statement. In Erlang, however,
-% `=` denotes a pattern matching operation. `Lhs = Rhs` really means this:
-% evaluate the right side (Rhs), and then match the result against the pattern
-% on the left side (Lhs).
+% `=` denotes a pattern-matching operation. When an empty variable is used on the
+% left hand side of the `=` operator to is bound (assigned), but when a bound
+% variable is used on the left hand side the following behaviour is observed.
+% `Lhs = Rhs` really means this: evaluate the right side (`Rhs`), and then
+% match the result against the pattern on the left side (`Lhs`).
 Num = 7 * 6.
 
-% Floating point number.
+% Floating-point number.
 Pi = 3.14159.
 
-% Atoms, are used to represent different non-numerical constant values. Atoms
+% Atoms are used to represent different non-numerical constant values. Atoms
 % start with lowercase letters, followed by a sequence of alphanumeric
 % characters or the underscore (`_`) or at (`@`) sign.
 Hello = hello.
@@ -53,34 +56,34 @@ AtomWithSpace = 'some atom with space'.
 % Tuples are similar to structs in C.
 Point = {point, 10, 45}.
 
-% If we want to extract some values from a tuple, we use the pattern matching
+% If we want to extract some values from a tuple, we use the pattern-matching
 % operator `=`.
 {point, X, Y} = Point.  % X = 10, Y = 45
 
 % We can use `_` as a placeholder for variables that we’re not interested in.
 % The symbol `_` is called an anonymous variable. Unlike regular variables,
-% several occurrences of _ in the same pattern don’t have to bind to the same
-% value.
+% several occurrences of `_` in the same pattern don’t have to bind to the
+% same value.
 Person = {person, {name, {first, joe}, {last, armstrong}}, {footsize, 42}}.
 {_, {_, {_, Who}, _}, _} = Person.  % Who = joe
 
 % We create a list by enclosing the list elements in square brackets and
 % separating them with commas.
 % The individual elements of a list can be of any type.
-% The first element of a list is the head of the list. If you imagine removing the
-% head from the list, what’s left is called the tail of the list.
+% The first element of a list is the head of the list. If you imagine removing
+% the head from the list, what’s left is called the tail of the list.
 ThingsToBuy = [{apples, 10}, {pears, 6}, {milk, 3}].
 
 % If `T` is a list, then `[H|T]` is also a list, with head `H` and tail `T`.
 % The vertical bar (`|`) separates the head of a list from its tail.
 % `[]` is the empty list.
-% We can extract elements from a list with a pattern matching operation. If we
+% We can extract elements from a list with a pattern-matching operation. If we
 % have a nonempty list `L`, then the expression `[X|Y] = L`, where `X` and `Y`
 % are unbound variables, will extract the head of the list into `X` and the tail
 % of the list into `Y`.
 [FirstThing|OtherThingsToBuy] = ThingsToBuy.
 % FirstThing = {apples, 10}
-% OtherThingsToBuy = {pears, 6}, {milk, 3}
+% OtherThingsToBuy = [{pears, 6}, {milk, 3}]
 
 % There are no strings in Erlang. Strings are really just lists of integers.
 % Strings are enclosed in double quotation marks (`"`).
@@ -117,17 +120,19 @@ c(geometry).  % {ok,geometry}
 geometry:area({rectangle, 10, 5}).  % 50
 geometry:area({circle, 1.4}).  % 6.15752
 
-% In Erlang, two functions with the same name and different arity (number of arguments)
-% in the same module represent entirely different functions.
+% In Erlang, two functions with the same name and different arity (number of
+% arguments) in the same module represent entirely different functions.
 -module(lib_misc).
--export([sum/1]). % export function `sum` of arity 1 accepting one argument: list of integers.
+-export([sum/1]). % export function `sum` of arity 1
+                  % accepting one argument: list of integers.
 sum(L) -> sum(L, 0).
 sum([], N)    -> N;
 sum([H|T], N) -> sum(T, H+N).
 
-% Funs are "anonymous" functions. They are called this way because they have no
-% name. However they can be assigned to variables.
-Double = fun(X) -> 2*X end. % `Double` points to an anonymous function with handle: #Fun<erl_eval.6.17052888>
+% Funs are "anonymous" functions. They are called this way because they have
+% no name. However, they can be assigned to variables.
+Double = fun(X) -> 2 * X end. % `Double` points to an anonymous function
+                              % with handle: #Fun<erl_eval.6.17052888>
 Double(2).  % 4
 
 % Functions accept funs as their arguments and can return funs.
@@ -140,8 +145,9 @@ Triple(5).  % 15
 % The notation `[F(X) || X <- L]` means "the list of `F(X)` where `X` is taken
 % from the list `L`."
 L = [1,2,3,4,5].
-[2*X || X <- L].  % [2,4,6,8,10]
-% A list comprehension can have generators and filters which select subset of the generated values.
+[2 * X || X <- L].  % [2,4,6,8,10]
+% A list comprehension can have generators and filters, which select subset of
+% the generated values.
 EvenNumbers = [N || N <- [1, 2, 3, 4], N rem 2 == 0]. % [2, 4]
 
 % Guards are constructs that we can use to increase the power of pattern
@@ -155,17 +161,32 @@ max(X, Y) -> Y.
 
 % A guard is a series of guard expressions, separated by commas (`,`).
 % The guard `GuardExpr1, GuardExpr2, ..., GuardExprN` is true if all the guard
-% expressions `GuardExpr1, GuardExpr2, ...` evaluate to true.
+% expressions `GuardExpr1`, `GuardExpr2`, ..., `GuardExprN` evaluate to `true`.
 is_cat(A) when is_atom(A), A =:= cat -> true;
 is_cat(A) -> false.
 is_dog(A) when is_atom(A), A =:= dog -> true;
 is_dog(A) -> false.
 
-% A `guard sequence` is either a single guard or a series of guards, separated
-%by semicolons (`;`). The guard sequence `G1; G2; ...; Gn` is true if at least
-% one of the guards `G1, G2, ...` evaluates to true.
-is_pet(A) when is_dog(A); is_cat(A) -> true;
-is_pet(A) -> false.
+% We won't dwell on the `=:=` operator here; just be aware that it is used to
+% check whether two Erlang expressions have the same value *and* the same type.
+% Contrast this behaviour to that of the `==` operator:
+1 + 2 =:= 3.   % true
+1 + 2 =:= 3.0. % false
+1 + 2 ==  3.0. % true
+
+% A guard sequence is either a single guard or a series of guards, separated
+% by semicolons (`;`). The guard sequence `G1; G2; ...; Gn` is true if at
+% least one of the guards `G1`, `G2`, ..., `Gn` evaluates to `true`.
+is_pet(A) when is_atom(A), (A =:= dog);(A =:= cat) -> true;
+is_pet(A)                                             -> false.
+
+% Warning: not all valid Erlang expressions can be used as guard expressions;
+% in particular, our `is_cat` and `is_dog` functions cannot be used within the
+% guard sequence in `is_pet`'s definition. For a description of the
+% expressions allowed in guard sequences, refer to the specific section
+% in the Erlang reference manual:
+% http://erlang.org/doc/reference_manual/expressions.html#guards
+
 
 % Records provide a method for associating a name with a particular element in a
 % tuple.
@@ -188,7 +209,7 @@ X = #todo{}.
 X1 = #todo{status = urgent, text = "Fix errata in book"}.
 % #todo{status = urgent, who = joe, text = "Fix errata in book"}
 X2 = X1#todo{status = done}.
-% #todo{status = done,who = joe,text = "Fix errata in book"}
+% #todo{status = done, who = joe, text = "Fix errata in book"}
 
 % `case` expressions.
 % `filter` returns a list of all elements `X` in a list `L` for which `P(X)` is
@@ -206,11 +227,11 @@ max(X, Y) ->
   if
     X > Y -> X;
     X < Y -> Y;
-    true -> nil;
+    true -> nil
   end.
 
-% Warning: at least one of the guards in the `if` expression must evaluate to true;
-% otherwise, an exception will be raised.
+% Warning: at least one of the guards in the `if` expression must evaluate to
+% `true`; otherwise, an exception will be raised.
 
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
@@ -218,7 +239,7 @@ max(X, Y) ->
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 
 % Exceptions are raised by the system when internal errors are encountered or
-% explicitly in code by calling `throw(Exception)`, `exit(Exception)` or
+% explicitly in code by calling `throw(Exception)`, `exit(Exception)`, or
 % `erlang:error(Exception)`.
 generate_exception(1) -> a;
 generate_exception(2) -> throw(a);
@@ -227,7 +248,7 @@ generate_exception(4) -> {'EXIT', a};
 generate_exception(5) -> erlang:error(a).
 
 % Erlang has two methods of catching an exception. One is to enclose the call to
-% the function, which raised the exception within a `try...catch` expression.
+% the function that raises the exception within a `try...catch` expression.
 catcher(N) ->
   try generate_exception(N) of
     Val -> {N, normal, Val}
@@ -241,23 +262,24 @@ catcher(N) ->
 % exception, it is converted into a tuple that describes the error.
 catcher(N) -> catch generate_exception(N).
 
-
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+
+%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 %% 4. Concurrency
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 
 % Erlang relies on the actor model for concurrency. All we need to write
-% concurrent programs in erlang are three primitives: spawning processes,
+% concurrent programs in Erlang are three primitives: spawning processes,
 % sending messages and receiving messages.
 
-% To start a new process we use the `spawn` function, which takes a function
+% To start a new process, we use the `spawn` function, which takes a function
 % as argument.
 
 F = fun() -> 2 + 2 end. % #Fun<erl_eval.20.67289768>
 spawn(F). % <0.44.0>
 
-% `spawn` returns a pid (process identifier), you can use this pid to send
-% messages to the process. To do message passing we use the `!` operator.
-% For all of this to be useful we need to be able to receive messages. This is
+% `spawn` returns a pid (process identifier); you can use this pid to send
+% messages to the process. To do message passing, we use the `!` operator.
+% For all of this to be useful, we need to be able to receive messages. This is
 % achieved with the `receive` mechanism:
 
 -module(calculateGeometry).
@@ -271,15 +293,49 @@ calculateArea() ->
       _ ->
         io:format("We can only calculate area of rectangles or circles.")
     end.
-    
-% Compile the module and create a process that evaluates `calculateArea` in the shell
+
+% Compile the module and create a process that evaluates `calculateArea` in the
+% shell.
 c(calculateGeometry).
 CalculateArea = spawn(calculateGeometry, calculateArea, []).
 CalculateArea ! {circle, 2}. % 12.56000000000000049738
 
-% The shell is also a process, you can use `self` to get the current pid
+% The shell is also a process; you can use `self` to get the current pid.
 self(). % <0.41.0>
 
+%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+%% 5. Testing with EUnit
+%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+
+% Unit tests can be written using EUnits's test generators and assert macros
+-module(fib).
+-export([fib/1]).
+-include_lib("eunit/include/eunit.hrl").
+
+fib(0) -> 1;
+fib(1) -> 1;
+fib(N) when N > 1 -> fib(N-1) + fib(N-2).
+
+fib_test_() ->
+    [?_assert(fib(0) =:= 1),
+     ?_assert(fib(1) =:= 1),
+     ?_assert(fib(2) =:= 2),
+     ?_assert(fib(3) =:= 3),
+     ?_assert(fib(4) =:= 5),
+     ?_assert(fib(5) =:= 8),
+     ?_assertException(error, function_clause, fib(-1)),
+     ?_assert(fib(31) =:= 2178309)
+    ].
+
+% EUnit will automatically export to a test() function to allow running the tests
+% in the erlang shell
+fib:test()
+
+% The popular erlang build tool Rebar is also compatible with EUnit
+% ```
+% rebar eunit
+% ```
+
 ```
 
 ## References