Built-in Python Functions You Should Be Using: Part 1!
Enhancing Your Coding Skills With Built-In functions
Python is renowned for its simplicity and readability, and a significant part of its appeal comes from its extensive library of built-in functions. These functions are always available in Python and provide a range of functionalities that help programmers write cleaner, more efficient, and more readable code.
Knowing and effectively using Python’s built-in functions can significantly enhance your productivity and coding experience. These functions can simplify complex operations, improve code performance, and reduce the need for external libraries.
In this article, we will explore some of the most useful built-in functions in Python, focusing on both the commonly used and the lesser-known but powerful ones. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, understanding and utilizing these functions can take your Python skills to the next level.
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Hello, world! I’m CyCoderX, a passionate data engineer dedicated to solving complex problems. On Medium, I share my journey, insights, and lessons learned, catering to beginners, businesses, and tech enthusiasts.
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Commonly Used Built-in Functions
Python provides a variety of built-in functions that are frequently used in everyday coding. These functions help perform common tasks efficiently and are fundamental to mastering Python. Let’s take a closer look at some of these essential functions:
len()
The len() function returns the number of items in an object. This function is widely used to get the length of lists, tuples, strings, dictionaries, and other iterable objects.
Example:
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print(len(my_list)) # Output: 5
my_string = "Hello, world!"
print(len(my_string)) # Output: 13type()
The type() function returns the type of an object. This is particularly useful for debugging and ensuring that variables are of the expected type.
Example:
a = 42
print(type(a)) # Output: <class 'int'>
b = [1, 2, 3]
print(type(b)) # Output: <class 'list'>print()
The print() function outputs a message to the console. It's one of the most commonly used functions for debugging and displaying information.
Example:
print("Hello, world!") # Output: Hello, world!
x = 10
print("The value of x is:", x) # Output: The value of x is: 10input()
The input() function allows you to take user input from the console. It always returns the input as a string, so you may need to convert it to the appropriate type.
Example:
name = input("Enter your name: ")
print("Hello, " + name + "!")
age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
print("You are " + str(age) + " years old.")These functions form the backbone of many Python programs, providing essential functionality that is simple to use yet powerful in their application.
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Lesser-Known but Powerful Built-in Functions
In addition to the commonly used functions, Python offers several lesser-known but equally powerful built-in functions. These functions can significantly enhance your coding capabilities and efficiency.
enumerate()
The enumerate() function adds a counter to an iterable and returns it as an enumerate object. This can be particularly useful for looping with an index.
Example:
my_list = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
for index, value in enumerate(my_list, start=1):
print(f"Index: {index}, Value: {value}")
# Output:
# Index: 1, Value: apple
# Index: 2, Value: banana
# Index: 3, Value: cherryIn this example, we use enumerate() with the start parameter to begin the index at 1 instead of the default 0.
zip()
The zip() function combines two or more iterables (e.g., lists) into a single iterator of tuples. This is useful for parallel iteration.
Example:
names = ['Alice', 'Bob', 'Charlie']
scores = [85, 90, 95]
for name, score in zip(names, scores):
print(f"{name} scored {score}")
# Output:
# Alice scored 85
# Bob scored 90
# Charlie scored 95You can also unzip a list of tuples using the zip() function:
zipped = zip(names, scores)
names_unzipped, scores_unzipped = zip(*zipped)
print(names_unzipped) # Output: ('Alice', 'Bob', 'Charlie')
print(scores_unzipped) # Output: (85, 90, 95)all() and any()
The all() function returns True if all elements of an iterable are true, or if the iterable is empty. Conversely, the any() function returns True if any element of an iterable is true.
Example:
bool_list = [True, True, False]
print(all(bool_list)) # Output: False
print(any(bool_list)) # Output: True
# Use case with lists of numbers
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print(all(num > 0 for num in numbers)) # Output: True
print(any(num > 4 for num in numbers)) # Output: True
print(any(num > 5 for num in numbers)) # Output: FalsePython Classes and Objects: An Essential Introduction
The fundamentals of Python classes and objects.
sorted()
The sorted() function returns a new sorted list from the elements of any iterable. It does not modify the original iterable. You can also use the key parameter to specify a function to be called on each list element prior to making comparisons.
Example:
my_list = [3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9]
sorted_list = sorted(my_list)
print(sorted_list) # Output: [1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 9]
# Sorting with key parameter
words = ["banana", "apple", "cherry"]
sorted_words = sorted(words, key=len)
print(sorted_words) # Output: ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']In this example, we use the key parameter to sort the list of words by their length.
reversed()
The reversed() function returns an iterator that accesses the given sequence in the reverse order.
Example:
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
for item in reversed(my_list):
print(item)
# Output:
# 5
# 4
# 3
# 2
# 1You can also convert the reversed iterator back to a list:
reversed_list = list(reversed(my_list))
print(reversed_list) # Output: [5, 4, 3, 2, 1]sum()
The sum() function returns the sum of all items in an iterable. It takes two arguments: the iterable and an optional start value, which defaults to 0.
Example:
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
total = sum(numbers)
print(total) # Output: 15
# Using the start parameter
total_with_start = sum(numbers, 10)
print(total_with_start) # Output: 25min() and max()
The min() function returns the smallest item in an iterable or the smallest of two or more arguments. The max() function returns the largest item.
Example:
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print(min(numbers)) # Output: 1
print(max(numbers)) # Output: 5
# Using with multiple arguments
print(min(3, 1, 4, 1, 5)) # Output: 1
print(max(3, 1, 4, 1, 5)) # Output: 5round()
The round() function returns a floating-point number rounded to a specified number of decimals. If no number of decimals is provided, it rounds to the nearest integer.
Example:
number = 3.14159
print(round(number)) # Output: 3
print(round(number, 2)) # Output: 3.14abs()
The abs() function returns the absolute value of a number. It works with both integers and floating-point numbers.
Example:
negative_number = -42
print(abs(negative_number)) # Output: 42
float_number = -3.14
print(abs(float_number)) # Output: 3.14Are you interested in more SQL and Database content? Click here to check out my list on Medium.
Conclusion
Understanding and utilizing Python’s built-in functions can greatly enhance your coding efficiency and effectiveness.
In this first part, we covered some of the most commonly used and powerful built-in functions. These functions are fundamental tools that every Python programmer should master.
Stay tuned for the next part, where we will dive deeper into more specialized built-in functions for data handling, type inspection, and numeric operations. Exploring these functions will further expand your Python skills and enable you to write more sophisticated and efficient code.
Final Words:
Thank you for taking the time to read my article.
This article was first published on medium by CyCoderX.
Hey There! I’m CyCoderX, a data engineer who loves crafting end-to-end solutions. I write articles about Python, SQL, AI, Data Engineering, lifestyle and more!
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