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How to learn F (sharp)

This document provides a structured roadmap for learning F#, a functional-first programming language for .NET, tailored for individuals with experience in automation and data engineering. It outlines steps including setting up the environment, learning the basics of functional programming, working with data structures, and applying F# in practical applications like ETL pipelines and SQL database interactions. The document also encourages joining the F# community for ongoing learning and offers project ideas to apply the skills gained.

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sobaan.apace
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3 views

How to learn F (sharp)

This document provides a structured roadmap for learning F#, a functional-first programming language for .NET, tailored for individuals with experience in automation and data engineering. It outlines steps including setting up the environment, learning the basics of functional programming, working with data structures, and applying F# in practical applications like ETL pipelines and SQL database interactions. The document also encourages joining the F# community for ongoing learning and offers project ideas to apply the skills gained.

Uploaded by

sobaan.apace
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Learning F# (a functional-first programming language for .

NET) requires a different


mindset compared to Python, SQL, and VBA, but given your experience in automation and
data engineering, you can pick it up effectively. Here’s a structured roadmap tailored for
you.

Step 1: Set Up Your Environment

F# runs on the .NET ecosystem, so you need:

Install .NET SDK → Download here


Choose an Editor:

• VS Code (with F# extension)

• Visual Studio Community (for a full IDE)

• JetBrains Rider (optional)

Test Installation
Open a terminal and type:

dotnet fsi

This opens the F# interactive shell, where you can run commands.

Step 2: Learn the Basics (Functional Thinking)

F# is a functional-first language but supports OOP too. Here are key concepts:

Immutability (No Changing Data In Place)

let x = 5 // x is immutable

Type Inference (No Need to Specify Types Explicitly)

let name = "Junaid" // Automatically inferred as string

Functions as First-Class Citizens

let square x = x * x

let result = square 4 // 16

Piping (|> Operator) – Readable Data Flow


let double x = x * 2

let addTen x = x + 10

let finalResult = 5 |> double |> addTen // Output: 20

Resource: F# for Beginners

Mini-Exercise: Write a function to convert temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Step 3: Data Structures in F#

Lists (Immutable, linked-list structure)

let numbers = [1; 2; 3; 4; 5]

Tuples (Group related values together)

let person = ("Junaid", 41, "Karachi")

Records (Immutable structured data)

type Person = { Name: string; Age: int }

let p = { Name = "Junaid"; Age = 41 }

Option Type (Handle null values safely)

let divide x y =

if y = 0 then None else Some (x / y)

Mini-Exercise: Create a record type for an invoice with fields for amount, date, and
status.

Step 4: Pattern Matching (Powerful Alternative to if-else)

Pattern matching simplifies decision-making:

let describeNumber n =

match n with

| 0 -> "Zero"
| 1 -> "One"

| _ -> "Some other number"

describeNumber 1 // Output: "One"

Mini-Exercise: Write a function that returns "Even" or "Odd" for a given number using
pattern matching.

Step 5: Working with Data & SQL

Since you work with SQL and Power BI, learn:

Query SQL Databases from F#

#r "nuget: FSharp.Data.SqlClient"

open FSharp.Data.SqlClient

type MyQuery = SqlCommandProvider<"SELECT TOP 10 * FROM Customers",


"Server=MyServer;Database=MyDB;">

let results = MyQuery.Create().Execute()

Data Manipulation with F# Pipelines

let customers = [ ("Ali", 30); ("Sara", 25) ]

let namesOnly = customers |> List.map fst // Extracts only names

Mini-Project: Fetch data from a SQL database in F#, process it, and generate an Excel
report.

Step 6: Asynchronous & Parallel Programming (If Needed)

If you're dealing with ETL, automation, or API requests, F# supports:

Async Programming (Better than Python's async/await)


let fetchData url =

async {

let! response = Http.AsyncRequestString(url)

return response

Parallel Processing (For Large Datasets)

let results = [1..100] |> List.map (fun x -> async { return x * 2 }) |> Async.Parallel |>
Async.RunSynchronously

Step 7: Practical Applications Based on Your Work

Given your experience, here’s how you can apply F#:

ETL Pipelines → Load, clean, and transform data using F# functions


Database Automation → Query SQL, clean results, send to Power BI
Excel Automation → Use ExcelProvider to automate reporting
API Calls & Web Scraping → Use F# async workflows for speed

Final Project Idea:

• Write an F# script that connects to a SQL database,

• Fetches financial data,

• Processes it, and

• Exports it to an Excel file for Power BI reports.

Step 8: Join the F# Community & Keep Learning

Resources:
F# Official Docs
F# for Data Science
Awesome F# GitHub
Final Thoughts:

Since you already work with SQL, Power BI, and automation, F# can be an advanced tool
for functional programming, automation, and data engineering. Start with simple
functions, then move to data pipelines and automation.

Would you like specific project ideas, or do you need help setting up F# with a database?

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