Optional Arguments in Python With *args and **kwargs

Real Python · Intermediate ·🛠️ AI Tools & Apps ·9y ago
Download your free Python Cheat Sheet here: https://realpython.com/cheatsheet Free Python Skill Test with instant level + learning plan: https://realpython.com/skill-test Want to learn faster? Become a Python Expert with unlimited access to 5,000+ tutorials, videos, and exercises: https://realpython.com/start Discover Python's advanced features & how to use them to write cleaner and more maintainable code An overview on Python's *args and **kwargs feature for writing functions with a variable number of arguments and/or making some parameters that a function accepts optional. In this tutorial I also demonstrate real world applications and use cases for optional parameters. For example, a design pattern you can use to extend the behavior of a parent class without having to replicate the full signature of its constructor in the child class. In summary, this is how optional function and method parameters work in Python: *args and **kwargs let you write functions with a variable number of arguments in Python. *args collects extra positional arguments as a tuple. **kwargs collects the extra keyword arguments as a dictionary. The actual syntax is * and **. Calling them args and kwargs is just a convention (one you should stick to). To learn how to use the full potential of Python check out "Python Tricks: The Book" at the link below. FREE COURSE – "5 Thoughts on Mastering Python" https://dbader.org/python-mastery PYTHON TRICKS: THE BOOK https://dbader.org/pytricks-book SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL: https://dbader.org/youtube * * * ► Python Developer MUGS, T-SHIRTS & MORE: https://nerdlettering.com FREE Python Tutorials & News: » Python Tutorials: https://dbader.org » Python News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/@dbader_org » Weekly Tips for Pythonistas: https://dbader.org/newsletter » Subscribe to this channel: https://dbader.org/youtube
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