A function can take multiple arguments, these arguments can be objects, variables(of same or different data types) and functions. Python functions are first class objects. In the example below, a function is assigned to a variable. This assignment doesn’t call the function. It takes the function object referenced by shout and creates a second name pointing to it, yell.
# Python program to illustrate functions # can be treated as objects def shout(text): return text.upper() print(shout('Hello')) yell = shout print(yell('Hello')) |
Output:
HELLO HELLO
Higher Order Functions
Because functions are objects we can pass them as arguments to other functions. Functions that can accept other functions as arguments are also called higher-order functions. In the example below, a function greet is created which takes a function as an argument.
# Python program to illustrate functions # can be passed as arguments to other functions def shout(text): return text.upper() def whisper(text): return text.lower() def greet(func): # storing the function in a variable greeting = func("Hi, I am created by a function passed as an argument.") print(greeting) greet(shout) greet(whisper) |
Output
HI, I AM CREATED BY A FUNCTION PASSED AS AN ARGUMENT. hi, i am created by a function passed as an argument.
Wrapper function
Wrapper function or decorator allows us to wrap another function in order to extend the behavior of the wrapped function, without permanently modifying it. In Decorators, functions are taken as the argument into another function and then called inside the wrapper function. To know more about decorator click here.
Below is the example of a simple decorator.
# defining a decorator def hello_decorator(func): # inner1 is a Wrapper function in # which the argument is called # inner function can access the outer local # functions like in this case "func" def inner1(): print("Hello, this is before function execution") # calling the actual function now # inside the wrapper function. func() print("This is after function execution") return inner1 # defining a function, to be called inside wrapper def function_to_be_used(): print("This is inside the function !!") # passing 'function_to_be_used' inside the # decorator to control its behavior function_to_be_used = hello_decorator(function_to_be_used) # calling the function function_to_be_used() |
Output:
Hello, this is before function execution This is inside the function !! This is after function execution
Lambda wrapper function
In Python, anonymous function means that a function is without a name. As we already know that def keyword is used to define the normal functions and the lambda keyword is used to create anonymous functions. This function can have any number of arguments but only one expression, which is evaluated and returned. Lambda function can also have another function as an argument. The below example shows a basic lambda function where another lambda function is passed as an argument.
# Defining lambda functionsquare = lambda x:x * x # Defining lambda function# and passing function as an argumentcube = lambda func:func**3 print("square of 2 is :"+str(square(2)))print("\nThe cube of "+str(square(2))+" is " +str(cube(square(2)))) |
Output:
square of 2 is :4 The cube of 4 is 64
