Keyword arguments

Definition

Keyword arguments in Python are function arguments where the parameter name is explicitly mentioned. This allows for more readable code and provides flexibility in the order of arguments.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Keyword arguments are specified by including the parameter name followed by an equal sign and the value.
2. They can be used in conjunction with positional arguments, but positional arguments must come first.
3. Using keyword arguments makes the code more readable and self-documenting.
4. Default values for parameters can be set using keyword arguments, which provides a way to handle optional parameters.
5. When calling a function, keyword arguments allow skipping some optional parameters without affecting others.

Review Questions

• What is the primary advantage of using keyword arguments over positional arguments?
• Can you use both positional and keyword arguments in a single function call? If so, what is the rule regarding their order?
• How do you specify a default value for a function parameter using keyword arguments?

Related terms

Positional Arguments: Arguments that are passed to a function based on their position or order.

Default Parameter Values: Values that are assigned to function parameters if no argument is provided during the function call.

*args and **kwargs: *args allows for variable numbers of positional arguments, while **kwargs allows for variable numbers of keyword arguments.