Objective Caml (OCaml) is an open source programming language that utilizes both functional and object oriented programming. OCaml can be found in a variety of scientific applications and is used as a teaching language in universities. Practical OCaml teaches Objective Caml in a straightforward manner. All the features of this functional programming language are taught by example. You will learn how to utilize the OCaml language to create a simple database, do reporting, and create a spam filter. You will also learn how to do complex log file scanning, create your own network servers by creating a shoutcast server, and create a web crawler. By this book's conclusion, besides knowing when and why OCaml should be used, you will be well on your way to creating your own applications with OCaml.