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Before you start
This tutorial targets programmers of imperative languages wanting to learn about functional programming in the language Haskell.
In an introductory tutorial, many of Haskell's most powerful and complex features cannot be covered. In particular, the whole area of type classes and algebraic types (including abstract data types) is a bit much for a first introduction. For readers whose interest is piqued, I will mention that Haskell allows you to create your own data types, and to inherit properties of those data types in type instances. The Haskell type system contains the fundamental features of object-oriented programming (inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation); but in a way that is almost impossible to grasp within a C++/Java/Smalltalk/Eiffel style of thinking.
The other significant element omitted in this tutorial is a discussion of monads, and therefore of I/O. It seems strange to write a tutorial that does not even start with a "Hello World!" program, but thinking in a functional style requires a number of shifts. While that "Hello World!" is quite simple, it also involves the mini "pseudo-imperative" world of monads. It would be easy for a beginner to be lulled by the pseudo-imperative style of I/O, and miss what is really going on. Swimming is best learned by getting in the water.
This tutorial has no prerequisites. Programmers who have not used functional programming, or Haskell 98 in particular, will benefit most from this tutorial.
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