How does functional programming enhance code readability and maintenance?
Functional programming, a paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data, offers several advantages for software development. By focusing on pure functions—functions where the output value is determined only by its input values without observable side effects—code becomes more predictable and easier to understand. This approach reduces the cognitive load on developers, as they can isolate functions and reason about them independently, leading to increased code readability and reduced complexity in maintenance.