Python Lambda Functions

Lambda functions, also known as anonymous functions, are small, inline functions that can have any number of parameters but can only have one expression. They are useful for situations where you need a simple function for a short period of time and don't want to define a full function using the defkeyword.

Syntax

The syntax of a lambda function in Python is as follows:

(lambda parameters: expression)(arguments)

For example, a lambda function that adds two numbers:

add = lambda a, b: a + b
print(add(3, 5))  # Output: 8

Using Lambda with Built-in Functions

Lambda functions are often used with built-in functions like map(), filter(), and sorted(). For example, using map() with a lambda function to square each number in a list:

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
squared_numbers = list(map(lambda x: x**2, numbers))
print(squared_numbers)  # Output: [1, 4, 9, 16, 25]

Conclusion

Lambda functions are a convenient way to create small, inline functions in Python. By understanding how to use lambda functions and their syntax, you can write more concise and readable code in your Python programs.