Functions in Python

In Python, a function is a reusable block of code that is created to perform a specific task. Functions allow to break code into smaller, more manageable pieces, making it easier to read, understand, and maintain.

Functions in Python typically have the following structure:

def function_name(parameters):
    # Function body
    # Code to perform a specific task
    return result

Here's an explanation of what each part of the above function does:

  • def: This keyword is used to define a function in Python.
  • function_name: This is the function name.
  • parameters: These are optional input values that you can pass to the function. They are enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas.
  • Function body: This is where you write the code that defines what the function does. It consists of one or more statements.
  • return: This keyword is used to specify the value that the function should return when it is called. Not all functions need to return a value, and in such cases, you can omit the return statement.

Here's an example of a simple Python function that adds two numbers:

def add(x, y):
    result = x + y
    return result

add_result = add(11, 3)
print(add_result)

In this example, add is a function that takes two parameters x and y, adds them together, and returns the result. When we call the function with add(11, 3), it returns 13, which is stored in the variable add_result and printed to the console.

The output of the above code is as follows:

13