higher-order function | Python Glossary

higher-order function | Python Glossary – Real Python

In programming, a higher-order function is a function that either takes one or more functions as arguments or returns a function as its result. This powerful feature allows you to create more abstract and flexible code.

Higher-order functions are a cornerstone of functional programming, enabling you to use functions like map(), filter(), and lambda functions to manipulate data in a clean and expressive way.

You can often replace loops with higher-order functions to write code that is more readable and concise. This can make your code more modular and maintainable.

Example

Here’s a quick example of using map(), which is a higher-order function in Python:

>>> def square(base):
...     return base**2
...

>>> list(map(square, [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]))
[1, 4, 9, 16, 25]

In this example, map() takes the square() function and applies it to each element in the provided list, resulting in a new list of square values.

For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:

Python's map(): Processing Iterables Without a Loop (Tutorial)
Python's filter(): Extract Values From Iterables (Tutorial)
Python's reduce(): From Functional to Pythonic Style (Tutorial)
Defining Your Own Python Function (Tutorial)
The Python return Statement: Usage and Best Practices (Tutorial)
Using Functional Programming in Python (Course)
Functional Programming in Python: When and How to Use It (Quiz)
Python's map() Function: Transforming Iterables (Course)
Filtering Iterables With Python (Course)
Defining and Calling Python Functions (Course)
Defining and Calling Python Functions (Quiz)
Defining Your Own Python Function (Quiz)
Using the Python return Statement Effectively (Course)
The Python return Statement (Quiz)