Functions

How functions are defined for modularity in different languages.

Python Language

TypeScript Functions

Function Definition with Arguments and a Return Type

How to pass arguments to a function and express the return type.

Function Definition with Arguments and Return Type

Python allows function definitions with optional type hints for parameters and return values.

def add(x: int, y: int) -> int:
    return x + y

def greet(name: str) -> str:
    return f"Hello, {name}!"

x: int, y: int - Type hints for parameters.
-> int - Type hint for return value.
Type hints are optional; Python does not enforce them at runtime.

Function Definition with Arguments and Return Type

TypeScript allows specifying argument types and return types explicitly in function definitions.

function add(x: number, y: number): number {
    return x + y;
}

const greet = (name: string): string => `Hello, ${name}!`;

x: number, y: number: Defines parameter types.
: number after () specifies the return type.

Function Overloading

Provide multiple implementations with different sets of arguments.

Function overloading not supported explicitly, process at runtime:

def add(x, y=None):
    if y is None:  # Single argument case
        return x
    return x + y

print(add(5, 10))  # 15
print(add(5))      # 5

Or using Union:

from typing import Union

def add(x: Union[int, str], y: Union[int, str]) -> Union[int, str]:
    return x + y

print(add(5, 10))          # 15
print(add("Hello, ", "World!"))  # "Hello, World!"

Or using @singledispatch:

from functools import singledispatch

@singledispatch
def process(value):
    raise NotImplementedError("Unsupported type")

@process.register
def _(value: int):
    return f"Processing an integer: {value}"

@process.register
def _(value: str):
    return f"Processing a string: {value}"

print(process(42))        # "Processing an integer: 42"
print(process("Hello"))   # "Processing a string: Hello"

Function overloading processed at runtime

function add(x: number, y: number): number;
function add(x: string, y: string): string;
function add(x: any, y: any): any {
    return x + y;
}

console.log(add(5, 10)); // 15
console.log(add("Hello, ", "World!")); // "Hello, World!"

Default or Optional Arguments

Provide defaults or express optionality in arguments.

Function Default Arguments

def greet(name="World"):
    print(f"Hello, {name}!")

greet()           # Hello, World!
greet("Alice")    # Hello, Alice!

Function Default Arguments

function doIt(b: number, a = 1) {
    return b / a;
}

console.log("DoIt " + doIt(10) + " " + doIt(10, 2));

Lambda Functions

Define a lambda function.

add = lambda x, y: x + y
print(add(3, 4))  # 7

There are some limitations:

Only one expression, no statements like if, for, print.
Can hurt readability for anything non-trivial.
Can't contain annotations or docstrings.

const doIt = (b: number, c: number) => a * b;

console.log("DoIt " + doIt(10, 5));

Lambda Function Capture

Use local in-scope variables inside the lambda function.

Lambda Functions With Capture

Supported...

x = 10
f = lambda: x + 1
print(f())  # 11

x = 20
print(f())  # 21 — uses the updated value of x

But note the following:

funcs = [lambda: i for i in range(3)]
print([f() for f in funcs])  # [2, 2, 2] — not [0, 1, 2]
# fix by binding i as a default argument for each iteration
funcs = [lambda i=i: i for i in range(3)]
print([f() for f in funcs])  # [0, 1, 2]

function createCounter(): () => number {
    let count = 0; // This variable is captured by the closure

    return () => {
        count += 1;
        return count;
    };
}

const counterA = createCounter();
console.log(counterA()); // 1
console.log(counterA()); // 2

const counterB = createCounter();
console.log(counterB()); // 1 (separate closure)
console.log(counterA()); // 3 (original closure still intact)

function makeMultiplier(factor: number): (input: number) => number {
    // factor is captured by the inner function
    return (input: number) => input * factor;
}

const double = makeMultiplier(2);
const triple = makeMultiplier(3);

console.log(double(5)); // 10
console.log(triple(5)); // 15

Function Type Parameter (Generics)

Define a function with one or more types as an argument.

Function Generics

from typing import TypeVar

T = TypeVar('T')  # Generic type placeholder

def identity(value: T) -> T:
    return value

print(identity(42))      # 42
print(identity("Hello")) # "Hello"

Function Generics

function identity<T>(value: T): T {
    return value;
}

console.log(identity<number>(42)); // 42
console.log(identity<string>("Hello")); // "Hello"

Function Type Parameter Constraints

Define constraints on the type parameter.

Function Generics with Constraint

With a constraint:

from typing import TypeVar, Protocol

class HasLength(Protocol):
    def __len__(self) -> int: ...

T = TypeVar('T', bound=HasLength)

def get_length(value: T) -> int:
    return len(value)

print(get_length("Hello"))  # 5
print(get_length([1, 2, 3])) # 3

Function Generics Constraint

And with a constraint:

function getLength<T extends { length: number }>(arg: T): number {
    return arg.length;
}

console.log(getLength("Hello")); // 5
console.log(getLength([1, 2, 3])); // 3