Currying in javascript for function with n paramet

Question

If f :: (a, b) -> c, we can define curry(f) as below:

curry(f) :: ((a, b) -> c) -> a -> b -> c

const curry = f => a => b => f(a, b);
const sum = curry((num1, num2) => num1 + num2);
console.log(sum(2)(3)); //5

How do we implement generic curry function that takes a function with n parameters?

Answer 1

Caveat: I don't have a functional background, so my terminology may be a bit off.

If by "curry" you mean "create a new function that will call the original with some arguments pre-filled," the general solution in ES5 and earlier is as follows (see comments):

// Add a function to the function prototype
Object.defineProperty(Function.prototype, "curry", {
  value: function() {
    // Remember the original function
    var f = this;
    // Remember the curried arguments
    var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
    // Return a new function that will do the work
    return function() {
      // The new function has been called: Call the original with
      // the curried arguments followed by any arguments received in
      // this call, passing along the current value of `this`
      return f.apply(this, args.concat(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments)));
    };
  }
});

// Usage:
function foo(a, b, c) {
  console.log(a, b, c);
}
var f = foo.curry(1, 2);
f(3);

In ES2015+, we can use rest args instead of arguments:

// REQUIRES ES2015+ support in your browser!

// Add a function to the function prototype
Object.defineProperty(Function.prototype, "curry", {
  value: function(...curriedArgs) {
    // Remember the original function
    let f = this;
    // Return a new function that will do the work
    return function(...args) {
      // The new function has been called: Call the original with
      // the curried arguments followed by any arguments received in
      // this call, passing along the current value of `this`
      return f.apply(this, curriedArgs.concat(args));
    };
  }
});

// Usage:
function foo(a, b, c) {
  console.log(a, b, c);
}
let f = foo.curry(1, 2);
f(3);

Answer 2

ES6/2015

const curry = fn => function curried(cargs) {
  return cargs.length >= fn.length ? fn.apply(this, cargs) : (...args) => curried([...cargs, ...args])
}([]);

const arg2 = curry((a, b) => a + b);
const arg3 = curry((a, b, c) => a * (b + c));
const arg4 = curry((a, b, c, d) => Math.pow(a, b * (c + d)));

console.log(arg2(1)(2)); // 1 + 2
console.log(arg3(2)(3)(4)); // 2 * (3 + 4)
console.log(arg4(2)(1, 3)(4)); // 2 ^ (1 * (3 + 4))

ES5

var curry = function(fn) {
  var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
  if (args.length - 1 >= fn.length) return fn.apply(this, args.slice(1));
  return function() {
    return curry.apply(this, args.concat.apply(args, arguments));
  };
};

var arg2 = curry(function(a, b) {
  return a + b;
});
var arg3 = curry(function(a, b, c) {
  return a * (b + c);
});
var arg4 = curry(function(a, b, c, d) {
  return Math.pow(a, b * (c + d));
});

console.log(arg2(1)(2)); // 1 + 2
console.log(arg3(2)(3)(4)); // 2 * (3 + 4)
console.log(arg4(2)(1, 3)(4)); // 2 ^ (1 * (3 + 4))

Answer 3

If I understand correctly, I think this is the way to go using ES6:

const curry = f => {
  const nargs = f.length;
  const vargs = [];
  const curried = (...args) => vargs.push(...args) >= nargs
    ? f(...vargs.slice(0, nargs))
    : curried;

  return curried;
};

const fn2 = curry((a, b) => a + b);
const fn3 = curry((a, b, c) => a * (b + c));
const fn4 = curry((a, b, c, d) => Math.pow(a, b * (c + d)));

console.log(fn2(1)(2)); // 1 + 2
console.log(fn3(2)(3)(4)); // 2 * (3 + 4)
console.log(fn4(2)(1, 3)(4)); // 2 ^ (1 * (3 + 4))

If you want to do this in ES5, here's a slightly more verbose method:

function curry (f) {
  var nargs = f.length;
  var vargs = [];

  return function curried () {
    return vargs.push.apply(vargs, arguments) >= nargs
      ? f.apply(undefined, vargs.slice(0, nargs))
      : curried;
  };
}

var fn2 = curry(function (a, b) {
  return a + b;
});
var fn3 = curry(function (a, b, c) {
  return a * (b + c);
});
var fn4 = curry(function (a, b, c, d) {
  return Math.pow(a, b * (c + d));
});

console.log(fn2(1)(2)); // 1 + 2
console.log(fn3(2)(3)(4)); // 2 * (3 + 4)
console.log(fn4(2)(1, 3)(4)); // 2 ^ (1 * (3 + 4))

Answer 4

Below is a solution inspired by Juan Sebastián Gaitán's solution I have just extended it for below cases:

• add(1, 2)(2, 3)(1, 2, 3, 4).valueOf();
• add(1,2,3,4).valueOf();
• add(1)(2)(3)(4)(5).valueOf();

const add = (a, ...rest) => {
    a += rest.reduce((total, val) => {
        return total + val;
    }, 0);
    const next = (...b) => add(a + b.reduce((total, val) => {
        return total + val;
    }, 0));
    next.valueOf = () => a;
    //console.log('a', a, '; next: ', next, '; rest: ', ...rest);
    return next;
};
console.log(add(1, 2)(2, 3)(1, 2, 3, 4).valueOf()); //18
console.log(add(1,2,3,4).valueOf()); //10
console.log(add(1)(2)(3)(4)(5).valueOf()); //15

As the output is a function, you need valueOf(). to get the value. the function looks little cumbersome because of .reduce() but its very simple to read.

This is a good example of recursive function and a currying function.

Answer 5

There's a simple way to curry your sum function with unlimited parameters.

const add = (a) => {
  const next = b => add(a + b);
  next.valueOf = () => a
  return next;
};

const one = add(1);
console.log(one.valueOf());

const two = one + 1;
console.log(two);

const four = two + two;
console.log(four)

const six = add(four)(two);
console.log(six.valueOf());

const eleven = six(4)(1);
console.log(eleven.valueOf());

This add function would run every time you call the curried function with another parameter. Like in the case for const six = four + two;It returns the value from two previous calls and the chain goes on and on.

Keep in mind that in order to get the primitive value we need to call .valueOf().