The Python return Statement: Usage and Best Practices

Using the Python return Statement Effectively

Howard Francis
Howard Francis 22 Lessons 1h 26m basics best-practices python
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The Python return statement is a key component of functions and methods. You can use the return statement to make your functions send Python objects back to the caller code. These objects are known as the function’s return value. You can use them to perform further computation in your programs.

Using the return statement effectively is a core skill if you want to code custom functions that are Pythonic and robust.

In this course, you’ll learn:

  • How to use the Python return statement in your functions
  • How to return single or multiple values from your functions
  • What best practices to observe when using return statements
  • How to structure more advanced return statements

What’s Included:

  • 22 Lessons
  • Video Subtitles and Full Transcripts
  • 2 Downloadable Resources
  • Accompanying Text-Based Tutorial
  • Interactive Quiz to Check Your Progress
  • Q&A With Python Experts: Ask a Question
  • Certificate of Completion

Downloadable Resources:

Related Learning Paths:

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Syntax for Writing return Statements in Python

6 Lessons 22m

  1. 1. Using the Python return Statement Effectively (Overview)01:17
  2. 2. Reviewing Python Functions02:46
  3. 3. Using Implicit Returns in Functions03:15
  4. 4. Using Explicit Returns in Functions06:18
  5. 5. Returning vs Printing05:40
  6. 6. Returning Multiple Values03:25

Best Practices for Using return in Python

9 Lessons 39m

  1. 1. Returning None Explicitly02:53
  2. 2. Remembering to Return and Keeping It Readable04:11
  3. 3. Returning Values vs Modifying Global Variables05:08
  4. 4. Using return Statements With Conditionals05:49
  5. 5. Returning Boolean Values04:48
  6. 6. Returning Expressions With Boolean Operators05:28
  7. 7. Using return to Short-Circuit Your Loops04:13
  8. 8. Recognizing and Avoiding Dead Code01:56
  9. 9. Returning Multiple Values With namedtuple04:34

Advanced Uses of return in Python

7 Lessons 25m

  1. 1. Using Functions as Return Values: Closures05:13
  2. 2. Taking and Returning Functions With Decorators06:43
  3. 3. Returning User-Defined Objects With Factory Patterns04:51
  4. 4. Using return With try and finally Blocks03:53
  5. 5. Using the Python return Statement Effectively (Summary)00:52
  6. 6. The Python return Statement (Quiz)
  7. 7. Using return vs yield in Generator Functions03:46
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About Howard Francis

Howard is an avid Pythonista and records video courses for Real Python. He has been teaching beginning programming at the college level for over 20 years in C++, Java, C#, and most recently Python.

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Each tutorial at Real Python is created by a team of developers so that it meets our high quality standards. The team members who worked on this tutorial are:

Christopher

Sadie

Tappan

Leodanis

Geir Arne

Joanna

Aldren

Bryan

Jacob

Brenda

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Participant Comments

Avatar image for alnah

alnah on Sept. 24, 2023

This course was outstanding! It was well-structured, clear, and practical. I especially appreciated the sections on closures, decorators/wrappers, and factories. It provides a good introduction to understanding generators as well. The best practices part was very great! Please do that for functions in Python as well!

Avatar image for Shubha

Shubha on Oct. 13, 2021

Great Course! Learnt a lot. Thank you.

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