Python for Absolute Beginners Transcripts
Chapter: Course conclusion
Lecture: Review: Functions

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0:00 One of the most powerful tools we have
0:02 in our programming toolbox for changing the way
0:04 that we think about and work with our code
0:07 is functions.
0:08 Functions allow us to group together
0:10 a bunch of small little steps
0:11 into one very simple step.
0:13 Here we have a bunch of things going on
0:15 we have a function called play around.
0:16 It takes some arguments
0:18 and then we take a bunch of work inside the function.
0:20 But all that matters once we write this
0:22 when we want to use it
0:23 we know pass player_1 and player_2's name
0:26 and then what we'll get back
0:28 is the value of the winner.
0:29 Either player_1 or player_2
0:31 or if there's a tie, we get none.
0:33 And that allows us two really important things.
0:37 One, it allows up to think about
0:39 well this step is where you play the round.
0:40 We don't have to worry about the details.
0:42 Remember in our later part of the course
0:45 we changed the way that we got the input from the users.
0:48 We got that instead of just saying
0:50 input and type in a number
0:52 we actually used that autocomplete thing.
0:54 The stuff that was calling
0:55 get play or get role from the user
0:57 they didn't have to go and know
0:59 that we changed how that worked.
1:00 It just got changed and
1:01 everywhere we used it automatically
1:03 the better version got used.
1:04 It allows us to hide away
1:05 and not worry about the details
1:07 just used the high level idea
1:08 of playing around.
1:09 It also lets us organize our code
1:11 in a way that is much simpler.
1:13 We can think about here we're going to play around
1:15 we're going to check for the winner.
1:16 If there's enough winners.
1:17 I have enough wins for any given player
1:20 we're going to exit out of the loop
1:21 and they win.
1:22 It allows you to think at a very high level
1:24 instead of at every single bit
1:26 you're thinking about the details.
1:27 Super cool.
1:28 Be sure to make use of functions
1:30 try to keep them short and small.
1:32 If they get really long and cumbersome
1:34 you probably want to break that further
1:35 into smaller functions.
1:37 Allow you to get smaller and smaller detail as you go down
1:39 and not get things too complicated all in one place.