Reactive Programming Introduction

Reactive programming is a declarative programming paradigm that focuses on *streams of data* and the *propagation of change*. Instead of directly controlling the flow of data, you define how to respond to changes in data streams.

Key Concepts

• Asynchronous Data Streams: Data flows asynchronously, allowing you to handle events and data changes without blocking the main thread.
• Observables: Represent data streams that can be subscribed to.
• Observers: React to changes in the Observable's data.
• Operators: Functions that transform, filter, and combine data streams. Examples include `map`, `filter`, `reduce`, `merge`, `debounce`, `throttle`.

Benefits of Reactive Programming

• Improved Responsiveness: Non-blocking operations lead to more responsive applications.
• Simplified Asynchronous Code: Reduces the complexity of handling asynchronous events.
• Better Scalability: Allows for more efficient handling of concurrent requests.

Example (JavaScript - Observable Library)

                
                    // Assuming you have an Observable library like RxJS
                    const observable = Rx.Observable.interval(1000); // Emits a number every 1 second

                    observable.map(x => x * 2).subscribe(
                        value => console.log(value),
                        error => console.error(error),
                        () => console.log('Completed')
                    );
                
            

Resources

• RxJS Documentation
• Reactive Programming