Scala Resources

Scala is used at the world’s  largest financial institutions and hedge funds to develop the next generation of trading platforms.

We love Scala because it provides a type safe language with powerful  features that are required for developing options trading algorithms at scale.   Our traders love Scala because it simplifies the construction of trading algorithms.

• Don’t worry – you only need to know a minimal amount of Scala to develop advanced options trading algorithms using the OptionStack platform!
• Coding in Scala can be fun!  Take a look at some of the Scala resources below, and you’ll be up and running in no time!

First Steps

• First Steps to Scala Article
• Try Scala Tour – interactive tour of the scala language
• Try Scala for the Impatient – should be enough to get you started

Useful Links

• Scala Lang – The Scala Language site / api docs
• Twitter Scala School
• Java to Scala cheatsheet
• The Neophyte’s Guide to Scala – for beginners ready to delve a bit deeper.
• StackOverflow Scala Wiki
• Scala Types of Types – good overview of different types in Scala

Scala Books 

• Programming In Scala 2nd Edition by Martin Odersky, Lex Spoon and Bill Venners – Definitive, but dare we say it, a little dry. That being said, it’s a text-book that’s worth reading.
• Scala in Depth by Joshua D. Suereth – Excellent book for more advanced topics – don’t start with this – but when you are ready, read it, then read it again.

Scala Courses 

Some excellent free Coursera courses are available. They are 7 weeks long, so it’s a commitment, but worth it. Start with the Functional Programming Principles – this teaches functional programming through Scala.

• Functional Programming Principles in Scala
• Principles of Reactive Programming

Tips

• Between Zero & Hero Tips – Age Mooij’s Scala Tips and Tricks for the intermediate Scala developer
• StackOverflow Hidden Features of Scala

Style / Coding Standards 

• Scala Style Guide – mostly naming conventions, indentation style etc.
• Twitter’s coding standards
• “Scala In Depth” by Joshua D. Suereth – Chapters 2+3 – This contains some good advice similar to “Effective Java”
• Zen of Python – provides some good general principles for succinct coding styles, these apply equally well to Scala code

Practising Scala 

• Scalatron a programming game that can help with learning Scala
• Some puzzles that can be useful as well – Ninety-Nine Scala Problems

Functional Programming 

• Introduction to Functional Programming –This is an excellent presentation that shows how functional programming simplifies using APIs and Futures