Basic structure of a python function
>>> def function_name(arguments):
... ''' docstring'''
... statement(\s)
Example
We can create a function that writes the Fibonacci series to an arbitrary boundary:
>>> def fib(n): # write Fibonacci series up to n
... """Print a Fibonacci series up to n."""
... a, b = 0, 1
... while a < n:
... print(a, end=' ')
... a, b = b, a+b
... print()
...
>>> # Now call the function we just defined:
... fib(2000)
0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 233 377 610 987 1597
The def keyword introduces a function definition. It must be followed by the function name and the parenthesized list of formal parameters, followed by a colon. The statements that form the body of the function start at the next line and must be indented.
The first statement of the function body can optionally be a string literal; this string literal is the function’s documentation string, or docstring (More about docstrings can be found in the section Documentation Strings). Some tools use docstrings to automatically produce online or printed documentation or to let the user interactively browse through code. It’s good practice to include docstrings in code that you write, so try to make a habit of it.
No closing statement is required for the function (e.g. something similar to Ruby’s END), all code that is indented following the opening definition is within scope of the function.
One interesting thing about functions in Python… We can define a function inside another function!
>>> def foo():
... def bar():
... print('BAR')
... print('FOO')
... bar()
>>> # Now call the function we just defined:
... foo()
FOO
BAR
If a function is defined inside another function, the inner function can only be called inside the function in which it was defined.
Another Example
>>> def print_letters_blank(name): # define the function, give a argument if necessary
# loop to print out each letter in the name
for letter in name:
print(letter)
>>> print_letters_blank("John") # call the function
>>> print_letters_blank("Sarah") # call the function again, but with a different argument
J
o
h
n
S
a
r
a
h