Functional vs Object-Oriented Programming

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In scientific computing, you often start writing scripts quickly to get results – maybe a quick Python loop to process CSV files or a NumPy function to simulate an experiment. Over time, your code grows. You start asking:

Should I keep writing my scripts as functions, or should I organize them into classes?

These two styles – functional programming and object-oriented programming (OOP) – are not mutually exclusive. But understanding their differences will help you write clearer, more maintainable code.

1. The Scenario: Simulating a Population

Let’s imagine we are scientists modeling a simple population of organisms.

Each organism:

• Has a name

• Has an energy level

• Can eat (gain energy)

• Can move (lose energy)

We will implement this in both functional and OOP styles.

2. Functional Programming Approach

In functional programming:

• Data is stored in simple structures (like dictionaries).

• Functions operate on that data.