Python Functions

A function in Python is a block of code that is used to perform a specific task. Functions are basically used to avoid repetition or duplication in our code and make it much cleaner.

Let’s understand it. Suppose you want to print numbers from 1 to 10. So you will simply use a for loop to print numbers. Now let’s say that you need to print these numbers, again and again, maybe 10 or 20 times. What will you do in that case? You will simply write the same code 10 or 20 times. But isn’t that a bad idea, you are repeating the same code again and again. Functions help us to minimize this repetition.

So instead of repeating the same code, again and again, we can put that code inside a function and we can use it whenever or wherever we need it.

Creating a Function

A function in Python is created using the def keyword.

Syntax of a function

def function_name():
    function body

The def keyword is an inbuilt keyword to create a function in Python. The function_name is any valid function name. After the function name, you have to put parentheses along with a colon. Which is responsible for indentation.

The function body should be indented inside the function. Any part of the code that is not inside the indented block will not be considered as a part of the function.

Note: The naming convention for a function is same as the naming a variable in Python.

Example of a Python Function

In this example, we will create a simple function that prints a simple message.

# Creating a simple function named my_printer
def my_printer():
    print('Hello from my printer')

We have just created a function. But if you run the above code it does nothing. Why??

It’s because we have only created the function but we are not using it anywhere. To use a function we have to call it where it is needed.

Calling a Function

To call a function, you have to simply write the function name along with parentheses (). We will use the same function my_printer which we created in the last example. Refer to the below explanation.

# creating and calling a function in Python
def my_printer():
    print('Hello from my printer')
    
# calling above function
my_printer()

Output:

Hello from my printer

Example:

# A function to add two numbers

# create function
def add():
    num1 = 10
    num2 = 20
    print('Sum of', num1, 'and', num2, '=',num1+num2)

# call add() function
add()    

Output:

Sum of 10 and 20 = 30

Passing Parameters to a Function

A parameter is simply some additional information that we pass to a function while calling it. A parameter can be of any valid or user-defined data type. Let’s understand it by an example:

# Passing parameters to a function in Python

def add(num1, num2):
    sum = num1 + num2
    print('Sum of ',num1,'and',num2, ' = ',sum)
    
add(1,2)    
add(10,20)

Output:

Sum of  1 and 2  =  3
Sum of  10 and 20  =  30

In the above example, we passed two parameters while calling the add() function. In the first call, the variable num1 holds value 1 and num2 holds value 2 and prints the sum as 3. In the second call, the variable num1 holds a value 10 and variable num2 holds a value 20 and prints the sum as 30.

Note: If you don’t pass the required parameters to the function while calling, it will throw an error. Refer to the below example:

# A program to demonstrate required parameters in Python

def add(num1, num2):
    sum = num1 + num2
    print('Sum of ',num1,'and',num2, ' = ',sum)
    
# Pass only one parameter instead of two
add(1)  
    

Output:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "jdoodle.py", line 8, in <module>
    add(1)  
TypeError: add() missing 1 required positional argument: 'num2'

Default Parameters

In the above example, we see that if we don’t pass all the required parameters to the function when we call, it will throw an error. But what if, you want to pass only one parameter to the function and the second value you want as a default value, maybe 10 or 20 or whatever. That’s what default parameters do.

A default parameter uses the default value if the parameter is not passed. Otherwise, it will use the value that is passed to this parameter. Refer to the below example:

# A program to demonstrate default parameters in Python

def add(num1, num2=10):
    sum = num1 + num2
    print('Sum of ',num1,'and',num2,' = ',sum)

# passing only one parameter
add(20)   # Case 1

# passing both parameters
add(20,30) # Case 2

Output:

Sum of  20 and 10  =  30
Sum of  20 and 30  =  50

In the example above, num2 is a default parameter.

In case 1, we only passed one parameter. Therefore, variable num2 used value 10 as a default value of it. Hence sum was 30.

In case 2, we passed both the parameters. Therefore, variable num2 used the passed value 30 instead of using the default value 10. Hence sum was 50.

Note: A default parameter uses its default value until we pass an external value to it.