Python Lambda function — Substantial Use-Cases
Python has an elegant way to write on-the-fly functions called lambda functions which I have discussed in an earlier article. The article elaborates on a few real use-cases i.e. the applications of lambda functions.
What is a lambda function?
A lambda function is a small (usually a single line of code) function. In Python, lambda functions can take any number of arguments but only have a single expression.
A lambda function is defined using the lambda
keyword followed by the arguments and the expression. The syntax for lambda functions is as shown below.
lambda arguments: expression
The syntax shows that a lambda function does not have a name.
In the syntax, arguments refer to parameters, and finally, the single expression depicts the function body.
lambda functions are also called anonymous functions.
Lambda functions are handy when you need to define a function quickly and don’t want to go through the process of defining a named function using the def keyword. They are also useful when we need to pass a function as an argument to another function.