Skip to Content
Learn Python by Building Data Science Applications
book

Learn Python by Building Data Science Applications

by Philipp Kats, David Katz
August 2019
Beginner
482 pages
12h 56m
English
Packt Publishing
Content preview from Learn Python by Building Data Science Applications

Chapter 3

What are functions, and when should we use them?

In programming, a function is the named section of the code that encapsulates a specific task and can be used relatively independently from the surrounding code. 

How can data be provided to functions?

Conceptually, code in a function can access data from outside. The best way to pass the data, however, is via arguments—special temporary variables used exactly for that.

What does indentation mean? Is it required?

Yes; in Python, indentation is required and defines the grouping of code. 

What should be covered in the docstring function? How can I read the docstring function?

Ideally, every module, function, and class should have a docstring. In all those cases, a docstring can be shown ...

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Start your free trial

You might also like

Python for Data Science

Python for Data Science

Yuli Vasiliev
Introduction to Machine Learning with Python

Introduction to Machine Learning with Python

Andreas C. Müller, Sarah Guido

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781789535365Supplemental Content