a.4.7.4 declarative programming
Tell the computer what you want, not how to do it. Explore the declarative paradigm, encompassing markup and query languages alongside the mathematical rigor of Functional and Logic programming.
Imagine walking into a restaurant and just saying, "I want a burger," without having to tell the chef how to slice the onions or grill the meat. That's Declarative Programming. Instead of writing step-by-step imperative instructions, you describe the desired outcome. This overarching paradigm includes using HTML to structure web pages, SQL to query databases, Prolog to define logical rules, and functional languages to evaluate pure mathematical expressions. It is powerful, concise, and cleanly separates the "what" from the "how".
Define the structure and retrieve the data. Discover how markup languages like HTML and query languages like SQL allow you to focus on the 'what' instead of the 'how'.
Code with mathematical purity. Explore the functional sub-paradigm, where functions are first-class citizens, data is immutable, and side effects are eliminated to create highly predictable code.
State the facts and let the machine deduce the rest. Explore logic programming, where formal rules and inference engines drive classic Artificial Intelligence.
Last modified: March 14th, 2026
