Phieu Thuc Hanh - Functions
Phieu Thuc Hanh - Functions
Hàm số - Functions
A function is a block of organized, reusable code that is used to perform a single, related action. Functions provide better modularity for your
application and a high degree of code reusing.
As you already know, Python gives you many built-in functions like print(), etc. but you can also create your own functions. These functions are
called user-defined functions.
Defining a Function
You can define functions to provide the required functionality. Here are simple rules to define a function in Python.
Function blocks begin with the keyword def followed by the function name and parentheses ( ( ) ).
Any input parameters or arguments should be placed within these parentheses. You can also define parameters inside these
parentheses.
The first statement of a function can be an optional statement - the documentation string of the function or docstring.
The code block within every function starts with a colon (:) and is indented.
The statement return [expression] exits a function, optionally passing back an expression to the caller. A return statement with no
arguments is the same as return None.
Syntax
def functionname( parameters ):
"function_docstring"
function_suite
return [expression]
By default, parameters have a positional behavior and you need to inform them in the same order that they were defined.
Example
The following function takes a string as input parameter and prints it on standard screen.
def printme( str ):
"This prints a passed string into this function"
print str
return
Calling a Function
Defining a function only gives it a name, specifies the parameters that are to be included in the function and structures the blocks of code.
Once the basic structure of a function is finalized, you can execute it by calling it from another function or directly from the Python prompt.
Following is the example to call printme() function −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
Function Arguments
You can call a function by using the following types of formal arguments −
Required arguments
Keyword arguments
Default arguments
Variable-length arguments
Required arguments
Required arguments are the arguments passed to a function in correct positional order. Here, the number of arguments in the function call should
match exactly with the function definition.
To call the function printme(), you definitely need to pass one argument, otherwise it gives a syntax error as follows −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
# Function definition is here
def printme( str ):
"This prints a passed string into this function"
print str
return;
Keyword arguments
Keyword arguments are related to the function calls. When you use keyword arguments in a function call, the caller identifies the arguments by
the parameter name.
This allows you to skip arguments or place them out of order because the Python interpreter is able to use the keywords provided to match the
values with parameters. You can also make keyword calls to the printme() function in the following ways −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
Default arguments
A default argument is an argument that assumes a default value if a value is not provided in the function call for that argument. The following
example gives an idea on default arguments, it prints default age if it is not passed −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
Variable-length arguments
You may need to process a function for more arguments than you specified while defining the function. These arguments are called variable-
length arguments and are not named in the function definition, unlike required and default arguments.
Syntax for a function with non-keyword variable arguments is this −
def functionname([formal_args,] *var_args_tuple ):
"function_docstring"
function_suite
return [expression]
An asterisk (*) is placed before the variable name that holds the values of all nonkeyword variable arguments. This tuple remains empty if no
additional arguments are specified during the function call. Following is a simple example −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
Syntax
The syntax of lambda functions contains only a single statement, which is as follows −
lambda [arg1 [,arg2,.....argn]]:expression
Following is the example to show how lambda form of function works −
Live Demo
#!/usr/bin/python
Scope of Variables
All variables in a program may not be accessible at all locations in that program. This depends on where you have declared a variable.
The scope of a variable determines the portion of the program where you can access a particular identifier. There are two basic scopes of variables
in Python −
Global variables
Local variables