理解first-order vs. higher-order function

• Overview

  In Python, decorators provide a simple syntax for calling higher-order functions.

• Higher-order function

  A higher-order function is a function that does at least one of the following:

  1. takes one or more functions as arguments (procedural parameters)
  2. returns a function as its result

• procedural parameter

  In computing, a procedural paramter is a parameter of a procedure that itself a procedure.

• First-order function

  All other functions are first-order functions.

• Summary

  In mathematics higer-order functions are also termed operators or functionals.

• operator

  An operator is generally a mapping or function that acts on elements of a space to produce elements of another space.