Learning F# (a functional-first programming language for .
NET) requires a different
mindset compared to Python, SQL, and VBA, but given your experience in automation and
data engineering, you can pick it up effectively. Here’s a structured roadmap tailored for
you.
Step 1: Set Up Your Environment
F# runs on the .NET ecosystem, so you need:
Install .NET SDK → Download here
Choose an Editor:
• VS Code (with F# extension)
• Visual Studio Community (for a full IDE)
• JetBrains Rider (optional)
Test Installation
Open a terminal and type:
dotnet fsi
This opens the F# interactive shell, where you can run commands.
Step 2: Learn the Basics (Functional Thinking)
F# is a functional-first language but supports OOP too. Here are key concepts:
Immutability (No Changing Data In Place)
let x = 5 // x is immutable
Type Inference (No Need to Specify Types Explicitly)
let name = "Junaid" // Automatically inferred as string
Functions as First-Class Citizens
let square x = x * x
let result = square 4 // 16
Piping (|> Operator) – Readable Data Flow
let double x = x * 2
let addTen x = x + 10
let finalResult = 5 |> double |> addTen // Output: 20
Resource: F# for Beginners
Mini-Exercise: Write a function to convert temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
Step 3: Data Structures in F#
Lists (Immutable, linked-list structure)
let numbers = [1; 2; 3; 4; 5]
Tuples (Group related values together)
let person = ("Junaid", 41, "Karachi")
Records (Immutable structured data)
type Person = { Name: string; Age: int }
let p = { Name = "Junaid"; Age = 41 }
Option Type (Handle null values safely)
let divide x y =
if y = 0 then None else Some (x / y)
Mini-Exercise: Create a record type for an invoice with fields for amount, date, and
status.
Step 4: Pattern Matching (Powerful Alternative to if-else)
Pattern matching simplifies decision-making:
let describeNumber n =
match n with
| 0 -> "Zero"
| 1 -> "One"
| _ -> "Some other number"
describeNumber 1 // Output: "One"
Mini-Exercise: Write a function that returns "Even" or "Odd" for a given number using
pattern matching.
Step 5: Working with Data & SQL
Since you work with SQL and Power BI, learn:
Query SQL Databases from F#
#r "nuget: FSharp.Data.SqlClient"
open FSharp.Data.SqlClient
type MyQuery = SqlCommandProvider<"SELECT TOP 10 * FROM Customers",
"Server=MyServer;Database=MyDB;">
let results = MyQuery.Create().Execute()
Data Manipulation with F# Pipelines
let customers = [ ("Ali", 30); ("Sara", 25) ]
let namesOnly = customers |> List.map fst // Extracts only names
Mini-Project: Fetch data from a SQL database in F#, process it, and generate an Excel
report.
Step 6: Asynchronous & Parallel Programming (If Needed)
If you're dealing with ETL, automation, or API requests, F# supports:
Async Programming (Better than Python's async/await)
let fetchData url =
async {
let! response = Http.AsyncRequestString(url)
return response
Parallel Processing (For Large Datasets)
let results = [1..100] |> List.map (fun x -> async { return x * 2 }) |> Async.Parallel |>
Async.RunSynchronously
Step 7: Practical Applications Based on Your Work
Given your experience, here’s how you can apply F#:
ETL Pipelines → Load, clean, and transform data using F# functions
Database Automation → Query SQL, clean results, send to Power BI
Excel Automation → Use ExcelProvider to automate reporting
API Calls & Web Scraping → Use F# async workflows for speed
Final Project Idea:
• Write an F# script that connects to a SQL database,
• Fetches financial data,
• Processes it, and
• Exports it to an Excel file for Power BI reports.
Step 8: Join the F# Community & Keep Learning
Resources:
F# Official Docs
F# for Data Science
Awesome F# GitHub
Final Thoughts:
Since you already work with SQL, Power BI, and automation, F# can be an advanced tool
for functional programming, automation, and data engineering. Start with simple
functions, then move to data pipelines and automation.
Would you like specific project ideas, or do you need help setting up F# with a database?
