In a previous blog post, we discussed how to create nested functions in Python. Now, let’s explore an interesting concept called closures. When you return a nested function from a function, that nested function retains access to the variables defined in its enclosing function, even if the enclosing function is no longer active. This behavior is known as a closure. To illustrate this concept, let’s consider a simple counter example:...
In Python, enforcing the immutability of a variable as a constant can be challenging. However, there are a couple of approaches that can help achieve this goal. Using Enums as Constants One way to define constants in Python is by using enums from the enum module. Here’s an example: from enum import Enum class Constants(Enum): WIDTH = 1024 HEIGHT = 256 To access the value of a constant, you can use Constants....
Python, a versatile programming language, provides a range of built-in types to handle different kinds of data. In this blog, we will explore the basics of Python data types and how to work with them effectively. String Strings are sequences of characters enclosed in quotes (’’ or “”). To check if a variable is of the string data type, you can use the type() function or the isinstance() function: name = "Roger" type(name) == str # True isinstance(name, str) # True Numbers Python supports two types of numbers: integers (int) and floating-point numbers (float)....
Dictionaries are a fundamental data structure in Python that allows you to store and manipulate collections of key/value pairs effectively. Unlike lists, which are ordered and indexed by numbers, dictionaries provide a way to map arbitrary keys to their corresponding values. Creating a Dictionary To create a dictionary, you can use curly braces {} and separate each key/value pair with a colon :. Here’s an example with a single key/value pair:...
Docstrings play a crucial role in documenting code, serving as a means of communication not only to other developers but also to yourself. When revisiting your code months or years later, it may be challenging to recall every detail. Therefore, clear and concise documentation becomes invaluable. While comments are commonly used for explanatory text, docstrings offer more structured and automated processing. Here’s how you can utilize docstrings in your code:...
In Python, introspection refers to the ability to analyze functions, variables, and objects to gather information about them. This ability is incredibly useful for understanding and debugging code. In this blog post, we will explore some of the key tools and techniques for introspection in Python. Getting Documentation with help() One of the simplest ways to gather information about a function, variable, or object is by using the help() function. This global function displays the documentation, if provided, in the form of docstrings....
Lambda functions, also known as anonymous functions, are incredibly useful tools in Python. They are small, nameless functions that consist of a single expression as their body. In Python, lambda functions are defined using the lambda keyword: lambda <arguments> : <expression> It is important to note that the body of a lambda function must be a single expression, not a statement. The key distinction here is that an expression returns a value, while a statement does not....
List comprehensions provide a concise way to create lists in Python. They allow you to combine and transform elements from existing lists into a new list. Let’s consider an example where we have a list called numbers: numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] We can use a list comprehension to create a new list called numbers_power_2, which contains the elements of numbers raised to the power of 2: numbers_power_2 = [n ** 2 for n in numbers] Compared to using traditional loops or the map() function, list comprehensions offer a more readable and concise syntax, especially when the operation can be written on a single line....
Loops are an essential part of programming, allowing you to repeat a block of code multiple times. In Python, there are two types of loops: while loops and for loops. In this article, we will explore how to use these loops effectively in Python. While Loops While loops are defined using the while keyword and repeat their block of code until a certain condition is met. Here is an example of an infinite while loop:...
Python modules play a crucial role in organizing and reusing code in your programs. By breaking down your code into modules, you can promote better organization and facilitate code reuse, making your code more manageable and maintainable. In Python, every file can be treated as a module. To use a module from another file, you can import it into your current file. Typically, one file serves as the entry point of your program, while the other files act as modules, exposing functions that can be called from different files....