In Python, lists (arrays), tuples, and dictionaries can be expanded (unpacked) and their respective elements can be passed together as function arguments.
When calling a function, specify the argument with * for lists and tuples and ** for dictionaries. Note the number of asterisks *.
The following details are described here.
- Expand (unpack) a list or tuple with * (one asterisk)
- For functions with default arguments
- For functions with variable-length arguments
- Expand (unpack) dictionary with ** (two asterisks)
- For functions with default arguments
- For functions with variable-length arguments
See the following article for basic usage of Python functions, default arguments, and variable length arguments with *,** when defining functions.
- RELATED:How to use and note default arguments in Python functions
- RELATED:How to use variable length arguments in Python(
*args,**kwargs)
Expand (unpack) a list or tuple with * (one asterisk)
When a list or tuple is specified as an argument with *, it is expanded and each element is passed as a separate argument.
def func(arg1, arg2, arg3):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('arg2 =', arg2)
print('arg3 =', arg3)
l = ['one', 'two', 'three']
func(*l)
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
func(*['one', 'two', 'three'])
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
t = ('one', 'two', 'three')
func(*t)
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
func(*('one', 'two', 'three'))
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
The following explanation is for a list, but the same applies to a tuple.
If the number of elements does not match the number of arguments, a TypeError error occurs.
# func(*['one', 'two'])
# TypeError: func() missing 1 required positional argument: 'arg3'
# func(*['one', 'two', 'three', 'four'])
# TypeError: func() takes 3 positional arguments but 4 were given
For functions with default arguments
If a default argument is set, the default argument is used if the number of elements is insufficient. If the number of elements is too large, a TypeError error occurs.
def func_default(arg1=1, arg2=2, arg3=3):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('arg2 =', arg2)
print('arg3 =', arg3)
func_default(*['one', 'two'])
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = 3
func_default(*['one'])
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = 2
# arg3 = 3
# func_default(*['one', 'two', 'three', 'four'])
# TypeError: func_default() takes from 0 to 3 positional arguments but 4 were given
For functions with variable-length arguments
If a variable-length argument is set, all elements after the element for the positional argument are passed to the variable-length argument.
def func_args(arg1, *args):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('args =', args)
func_args(*['one', 'two'])
# arg1 = one
# args = ('two',)
func_args(*['one', 'two', 'three'])
# arg1 = one
# args = ('two', 'three')
func_args(*['one', 'two', 'three', 'four'])
# arg1 = one
# args = ('two', 'three', 'four')
Expand (unpack) dictionary with ** (two asterisks)
When a dictionary dict is specified as an argument with **, the element keys are expanded as argument names and values as argument values, and each is passed as a separate argument.
def func(arg1, arg2, arg3):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('arg2 =', arg2)
print('arg3 =', arg3)
d = {'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three'}
func(**d)
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
func(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three'})
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
If there is no key that matches the argument name or there is a key that does not match, a TypeError error will result.
# func(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two'})
# TypeError: func() missing 1 required positional argument: 'arg3'
# func(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three', 'arg4': 'four'})
# TypeError: func() got an unexpected keyword argument 'arg4'
For functions with default arguments
Image in which only the values of argument names that match the keys in the dictionary are updated.
A key that does not match the argument name will result in a TypeError error.
def func_default(arg1=1, arg2=2, arg3=3):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('arg2 =', arg2)
print('arg3 =', arg3)
func_default(**{'arg1': 'one'})
# arg1 = one
# arg2 = 2
# arg3 = 3
func_default(**{'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three'})
# arg1 = 1
# arg2 = two
# arg3 = three
# func_default(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg4': 'four'})
# TypeError: func_default() got an unexpected keyword argument 'arg4'
For functions with variable-length arguments
If variable-length arguments are set, any element with a key other than the argument name specified as the argument is passed to the variable-length argument.
def func_kwargs(arg1, **kwargs):
print('arg1 =', arg1)
print('kwargs =', kwargs)
func_kwargs(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three'})
# arg1 = one
# kwargs = {'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three'}
func_kwargs(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three', 'arg4': 'four'})
# arg1 = one
# kwargs = {'arg2': 'two', 'arg3': 'three', 'arg4': 'four'}
func_kwargs(**{'arg1': 'one', 'arg3': 'three'})
# arg1 = one
# kwargs = {'arg3': 'three'}