5.10. Summary¶
In this chapter we have covered items specific to Python that help structure Python programs.
Import statements are used t import code from modules that are part of a standard Python distribution or written by others in Python or written by you. It really doesn’t matter. In principle, a module is just a file containing legal python code, usually in the form of function, class, and variable definitions.
Python namespaces. By default every Python module has its own private namespace, accessible by using <modulename>.<name>. Thus, different modules can use the same names without causing name clashes. A name from a module can be imported into the top level namespace of your program by using the construction:
from <modulename> import <name>
Import statements are generally all written at the top of a file of Python code.
Block structure. Readability of a Python program is generally enhanced by the fact that code is broken up into blocks by certain Python constructions. The key block-creating constructions we’ve covered are: function definitions, loops, if-then constructions, class definitions, method definitions.
Parameters of a function may be filled either by following the order of the parameters in the function definition or by using keywords. Thus for a function defined as:
- def foo(param1,param2):
code
The following two ways of calling
foo
are equivalentfoo(x,y) foo(param2=y,param1=x)