Python: Multi-Args

In Python, you can define a function with a variable number of arguments using the * and ** syntax in the function definition.

A single asterisk * in the function definition is used to capture positional arguments passed to the function as a tuple.

Here’s an example:

def foo(*args):
    for arg in args:
        print(arg)

foo(1, 2, 3)
# Output:
# 1
# 2
# 3

In this example, foo is defined to accept a variable number of positional arguments. The single asterisk * in the function definition def foo(*args) tells Python to capture any positional arguments passed to the function as a tuple args. When you call foo(1, 2, 3), the arguments 1, 2, and 3 are captured as a tuple (1, 2, 3) and passed to the function as args.

Double asterisks ** in the function definition are used to capture keyword arguments passed to the function as a dictionary.

Here’s an example:

def bar(**kwargs):
    for key, value in kwargs.items():
        print(f"{key}: {value}")

bar(a=1, b=2, c=3)
# Output:
# a: 1
# b: 2
# c: 3

In the example above, bar is defined to accept a variable number of keyword arguments.

The double asterisks ** in the function definition

def bar(**kwargs)

tells Python to capture any keyword arguments passed to the function as a dictionary kwargs. When you call bar(a=1, b=2, c=3), the keyword arguments a=1, b=2, and c=3 are captured as a dictionary {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3} and passed to the function as kwargs.