Scala Map and flatMap the missing explanation

09 DEC 2015 on scala, and functional-programming

Map

1. you provide a function to map item -> item
2. map scans every item in the input container
3. map applies your function to each item
4. map creates the same container as was originally provided (List for List) and wraps the results in it.

flatMap

1. you provide a function to map item -> Container[Item] so flatMap expects you to create a container for each item you scan
2. flatMap then creates the same external container
3. flatMap then strips each item from the container it's in and adds it to the external container which it's creating the same - as the original container provided.