Programming in Lua : 2.6

This first edition was written for Lua 5.0. While still largely relevant for later versions, there are some differences.
The fourth edition targets Lua 5.3 and is available at Amazon and other bookstores.
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Programming in Lua

Part I. The Language Chapter 2. Types and Values

2.6 – Functions

Functions are first-class values in Lua. That means that functions can be stored in variables, passed as arguments to other functions, and returned as results. Such facilities give great flexibility to the language: A program may redefine a function to add new functionality, or simply erase a function to create a secure environment when running a piece of untrusted code (such as code received through a network). Moreover, Lua offers good support for functional programming, including nested functions with proper lexical scoping; just wait. Finally, first-class functions play a key role in Lua's object-oriented facilities, as we will see in Chapter 16.

Lua can call functions written in Lua and functions written in C. All the standard library in Lua is written in C. It comprises functions for string manipulation, table manipulation, I/O, access to basic operating system facilities, mathematical functions, and debugging. Application programs may define other functions in C.