Search icon CANCEL
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Conferences
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
Arrow up icon
GO TO TOP
Learn Python Programming

You're reading from   Learn Python Programming The no-nonsense, beginner's guide to programming, data science, and web development with Python 3.7

Arrow left icon
Product type Paperback
Published in Jun 2018
Publisher Packt
ISBN-13 9781788996662
Length 508 pages
Edition 2nd Edition
Languages
Tools
Arrow right icon
Author (1):
Arrow left icon
Fabrizio Romano Fabrizio Romano
Author Profile Icon Fabrizio Romano
Fabrizio Romano
Arrow right icon
View More author details
Toc

Table of Contents (16) Chapters Close

Preface 1. A Gentle Introduction to Python FREE CHAPTER 2. Built-in Data Types 3. Iterating and Making Decisions 4. Functions, the Building Blocks of Code 5. Saving Time and Memory 6. OOP, Decorators, and Iterators 7. Files and Data Persistence 8. Testing, Profiling, and Dealing with Exceptions 9. Cryptography and Tokens 10. Concurrent Execution 11. Debugging and Troubleshooting 12. GUIs and Scripts 13. Data Science 14. Web Development 15. Other Books You May Enjoy

Functions, the Building Blocks of Code

"To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Functions and objects."
– Le Corbusier

In the previous chapters, we have seen that everything is an object in Python, and functions are no exception. But, what exactly is a function? A function is a sequence of instructions that perform a task, bundled as a unit. This unit can then be imported and used wherever it's needed. There are many advantages to using functions in your code, as we'll see shortly.

In this chapter, we are going to cover the following:

  • Functions—what they are and why we should use them
  • Scopes and name resolution
  • Function signatures—input parameters and return values
  • Recursive and anonymous functions
  • Importing objects for code reuse

I believe the saying, a picture is worth one thousand words, is particularly true...

lock icon The rest of the chapter is locked
Register for a free Packt account to unlock a world of extra content!
A free Packt account unlocks extra newsletters, articles, discounted offers, and much more. Start advancing your knowledge today.
Unlock this book and the full library FREE for 7 days
Get unlimited access to 7000+ expert-authored eBooks and videos courses covering every tech area you can think of
Renews at €18.99/month. Cancel anytime