What are Python Built-in Functions?
Before we delve into the world of Python built-in functions, let’s first understand what they actually are. In simple terms, built-in functions are functions that are already available in Python. You don’t need to import any external libraries or go through additional steps to use them. They are pre-defined and ready to be used straight out of the box. Talk about convenience!
Python Built-in functions cover a wide range of functionalities, making your programming tasks a breeze. They are like little helpers that come with the language, offering ready-made solutions for common problems. Whether you need to perform mathematical operations, manipulate strings, or even work with lists , tuples, sets and dictionaries, Python’s got you covered with its arsenal of built-in functions.
Does Python Built-in functions and methods are same?
Python built-in functions and methods are similar in the sense that they both provide predefined functionalities that can be used in Python programming. However, there is a slight difference between the two.
I. Built-in Functions
Python built-in functions are functions that are built into the Python language itself. These functions are readily available for use without requiring any additional steps. Examples of built-in functions include print(), len(), type(), sum(), max(), min(), and many others. You can directly use these functions in your code without the need for any specific object or instance.
II. Methods
Methods, on the other hand, are functions that are associated with specific objects or data types in Python. They are called on instances of classes or objects and are accessed using the dot notation. Methods are specific to the object they belong to and operate on that object’s data. For example, the append() method is associated with lists and is used to add elements to a list. The lower() method is associated with strings and is used to convert a string to lowercase.
List of Python built-in Functions
Here’s a comprehensive list of Python built-in functions along with their purposes. Feel free to click on each function name to explore its syntax, parameters, return values and how it works. This list will serve as a valuable resource for your Python programming journey.
Take your time to familiarize yourself with these functions and discover the wide range of capabilities they offer. By understanding their usage and functionality, you’ll be well-equipped to leverage these powerful tools in your own code. Let’s explore Python built-in functions together!
| Functions | Purpose |
| __import()__ | This function allows you to dynamically import modules in Python, giving you the flexibility to load and use modules at runtime. |
| abs() | The abs() function returns the absolute value of a number, removing any negative sign and providing you with the positive magnitude. |
| aiter() | The aiter() function creates an asynchronous iterator object, which allows you to asynchronously iterate over asynchronous data streams. |
| all() | With the all() function, you can quickly check if all the elements in an iterable are true. It returns True if all elements are true, and False otherwise. |
| any() | The any() function is your go-to tool when you want to determine if at least one element in an iterable is true. It returns True if any element is true, and False otherwise. |
| anext() | When working with asynchronous iterators, the anext() function is used to retrieve the next item from the asynchronous iterator. |
| ascii() | The ascii() function returns a string that represents a printable version of an object. It helps you escape special characters and display objects in a readable format. |
| bin() | With the bin() function, you can convert an integer to its binary representation. It returns a string prefixed with ‘0b‘, indicating a binary number. |
| bool() | The bool() function allows you to evaluate the truthiness of an object. It returns True if the object is considered true, and False otherwise. |
| breakpoint() | The breakpoint() function is a convenient tool for setting breakpoints in your code. It allows you to pause the program’s execution and start a debugging session. |
| bytearray() | The bytearray() function creates a mutable sequence of bytes. It’s particularly useful when you need to manipulate binary data. |
| bytes() | Similar to bytearray(), the bytes() function creates an immutable sequence of bytes. It’s commonly used to handle binary data. |
| callable() | The callable() function checks whether an object is callable, meaning it can be called as a function. It returns True if the object is callable, and False otherwise. |
| chr() | With the chr() function, you can convert an integer representing a Unicode code point into its corresponding character. |
| classmethod() | The classmethod() function is a decorator used to define a method that operates on the class itself rather than its instances. It’s often used in class-level operations and alternative constructors. |
| compile() | The compile() function compiles a source code string or a file into a code object that can be executed or evaluated later. It’s commonly used in dynamic code generation. |
| complex() | The complex() function creates a complex number from real and imaginary parts. It’s handy when working with mathematical operations involving complex numbers. |
| delattr() | The delattr() function is used to delete an attribute from an object. It allows you to remove a specific attribute and its associated value. |
| dict() | The dict() function creates a new dictionary object. It’s a powerful data structure that stores key-value pairs and provides efficient lookup and manipulation operations. |
| dir() | The dir() function returns a list of names in the current local or global scope, or the attributes of an object. It helps you explore the available members or attributes of an object. |
| divmod() | The divmod() function performs integer division and returns both the quotient and the remainder as a tuple. It’s a convenient way to obtain both results in a single operation. |
| enumerate() | With the enumerate() function, you can iterate over a sequence while also getting the index of each element. It returns an iterator of tuples containing the index and the corresponding element. |
| eval() | The eval() function evaluates a Python expression or a code object and returns the result. It’s commonly used to dynamically execute code and perform calculations. |
| exec() | Similar to eval(), the exec() function executes Python code dynamically. However, exec() is used for executing code blocks or statements rather than evaluating expressions. |
| filter() | The filter() function creates an iterator that filters elements from an iterable based on a specified condition. It returns only the elements that satisfy the condition. |
| float() | The float() function converts a string or a number to a floating-point value. It’s useful when you need to perform calculations with decimal numbers. |
| format() | The format() function allows you to format a value into a specific string representation using placeholders and formatting options. It’s widely used for generating formatted output. |
| frozenset() | The frozenset() function creates an immutable set object. It’s similar to a set but cannot be modified after creation. |
| getattr() | The getattr() function retrieves the value of a named attribute from an object. It helps you access object attributes dynamically. |
| globals() | The globals() function returns a dictionary representing the current global symbol table. It provides access to all global variables and their values. |
| hasattr() | The hasattr() function checks if an object has a specified attribute. It returns True if the attribute exists, and False otherwise. |
| hash() | The hash() function returns a hash value for a given object. It’s commonly used for hash-based data structures like dictionaries and sets. |
| help() | The help() function displays a help message or documentation for a specified object, module, function, or keyword. It’s a great tool for exploring Python’s built-in functionality. |
| hex() | The hex() function converts an integer to a lowercase hexadecimal string. It’s a convenient way to represent numbers in base-16 format. |
| id() | The id() function returns a unique identifier for an object. It provides a way to distinguish different objects and check for object identity. |
| input() | The input() function allows you to interactively prompt the user for input. It displays a message and waits for the user to enter a value, which is then returned as a string. |
| int() | The int() function converts a string or a number to an integer value. It’s commonly used for type conversion and arithmetic operations. |
| isinstance() | The isinstance() function checks if an object is an instance of a specified class or any of its subclasses. It’s useful for type checking and object-oriented programming. |
| issubclass() | The issubclass() function checks if a class is a subclass of another class. It helps you determine the class hierarchy and inheritance relationships. |
| iter() | The iter() function returns an iterator object for an iterable. It’s used to create an iterator that allows you to loop over elements in a sequence. |
| len() | The len() function returns the number of elements in an object, such as a string, list, or tuple. It provides a quick way to obtain the length or size of an object. |
| list() | The list() function creates a new list object. It’s a versatile data structure that stores an ordered collection of elements and supports various manipulation operations. |
| locals() | The locals() function returns a dictionary representing the current local symbol table. It provides access to all local variables and their values. |
| map() | The map() function applies a given function to each item of an iterable and returns an iterator of the results. It’s a powerful tool for transforming data. |
| max() | The max() function returns the largest item in an iterable or the largest of two or more arguments. It’s commonly used to find the maximum value in a sequence. |
| memoryview() | The memoryview() function creates a memory view object, which allows you to access the internal data of an object as a memory buffer. It’s useful for efficient data manipulation. |
| min() | The min() function returns the smallest item in an iterable or the smallest of two or more arguments. It helps you find the minimum value in a sequence. |
| next() | The next() function retrieves the next item from an iterator. It allows you to iterate over elements in a controlled manner. |
| object() | The object() function returns a new object of the object type. It serves as the base class for all other classes in Python. |
| oct() | The oct() function converts an integer to an octal (base-8) string. It’s a way to represent numbers in base-8 format. |
| open() | The open() function opens a file and returns a file object. It’s used for file input/output operations, allowing you to read from and write to files. |
| ord() | The ord() function returns the Unicode code point of a character. It’s the inverse of the chr() function. |
| pow() | The pow() function raises a number to a specified power or calculates the remainder of a division operation. It’s used for exponentiation and modular arithmetic. |
| print() | The print() function displays text or other objects on the screen. It’s a fundamental tool for outputting information in Python. |
| property() | The property() function creates a special attribute called a property that allows you to define custom getter, setter, and deleter methods for accessing and manipulating object attributes. |
| range() | The range() function generates a sequence of numbers within a specified range. It’s often used in loops and iteration. |
| repr() | The repr() function returns a string representation of an object. It provides a more detailed and unambiguous representation than the str() function. |
| reversed() | The reversed() function returns a reversed iterator of a sequence. It allows you to iterate over the elements in reverse order. |
| round() | The round() function rounds a number to a specified precision. It’s commonly used for numeric rounding operations. |
| set() | The set() function creates a new set object. It’s an unordered collection of unique elements and provides efficient membership tests and set operations. |
| setattr() | The setattr() function sets the value of a named attribute on an object. It allows you to dynamically change object attributes. |
| slice() | The slice() function creates a slice object that represents a range of indices. It’s used for extracting a portion of a sequence or defining slice operations. |
| sorted() | The sorted() function returns a new sorted list from the elements of an iterable. It provides a sorted version of the input sequence. |
| staticmethod() | The staticmethod() function is a decorator used to define a static method in a class. It’s a method that belongs to the class rather than its instances. |
| str() | The str() function converts an object to a string representation. It’s commonly used for type conversion and string formatting. |
| sum() | The sum() function calculates the sum of all the elements in an iterable. It’s a convenient way to obtain the total sum of a sequence of numbers. |
| super() | The super() function returns a temporary object of a superclass, allowing you to access methods and attributes of the superclass. |
| tuple() | The tuple() function creates a new tuple object. It’s an immutable sequence that stores a collection of elements and provides convenient indexing and unpacking. |
| type() | The type() function returns the type of an object or creates a new class dynamically. It allows you to introspect and manipulate object types. |
| vars() | The vars() function returns the dictionary of the attributes and values of an object. It provides access to the object’s namespace. |
| zip() | The zip() function takes multiple iterables as input and returns an iterator of tuples, where each tuple contains the corresponding elements from the input iterables. It’s useful for parallel iteration and data combination. |
Remember, these are just brief explanations of each function’s purpose. Click on the function name to explore its syntax, parameters, and examples in detail.