Lesson 04-01: Functions in Python¶

What are Functions?¶

Functions are a way of setting aside code that you can use repeatedly. They exist in almost every programming language, and are a huge part of learning how to program. While there are many things you can do with functions, this lesson will only cover the basics: how to create a function and how to use (call) a function.

Creating a Function¶

To create a function, you would have to first write a function header. A function header looks like this:

def function_name(args):
    #code in function

Let’s break it down:

1. The def keyword just indicates that we are starting to write a function header
2. The name of the function goes here. You can name a function in the same ways you can name a variable.
3. Arguments go here. This is covered in the next lesson, so here you would usually leave it as blank parentheses ()
4. Colon is required! Don’t forget!
5. The code underneath that is tabbed is the code inside the function.

Here’s an example of a function that will print “Hey bestest buddy” every time it is run. We’ll call it say_hi. The function definition might look something like this:

def say_hi():
    print("Hey bestest buddy")

Our function could have multiple lines of code in it as well:

def say_hi():
    print("Hey bestest buddy")
    print("You are the best")
    print("Super best")

But if you try to run this code, you’ll notice that nothing happens.

Using a Function¶

When you define a function, you are creating a block of code that can be used later on. Just defining a function will NOT use that function! To use a function, we have to call it - using a function call.

A function call is performed by using the function’s name, followed by parentheses. In our above example, to call the function, we would use the command say_hi().

Observe:

This is where the repeatability comes into play. We can call upon three lines of code just by using one! What if we wanted to call it a bunch of times?

However, note that we cannot call a function before it is defined. Try running the following; you will get an error.

Checks For Understanding¶

Hello World!
Hello World!
Hello World!

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