How to use *args and **kwargs in Python

http://www.saltycrane.com/blog/2008/01/how-to-use-args-and-kwargs-in-python/

How to use *args and **kwargs in Python

Date: 2008-01-03  |   Modified: 2010-03-15  |   Tags: core, python   |   76 Comments

Or, How to use variable length argument lists in Python.

The special syntax, *args and **kwargs in function definitions is used to pass a variable number of arguments to a function. The single asterisk form (*args) is used to pass a non-keyworded, variable-length argument list, and the double asterisk form is used to pass a keyworded, variable-length argument list. Here is an example of how to use the non-keyworded form. This example passes one formal (positional) argument, and two more variable length arguments.

def test_var_args(farg, *args):
    print "formal arg:", farg
    for arg in args:
        print "another arg:", arg

test_var_args(1, "two", 3)

Results:

formal arg: 1
another arg: two
another arg: 3

Here is an example of how to use the keyworded form. Again, one formal argument and two keyworded variable arguments are passed.

def test_var_kwargs(farg, **kwargs):
    print "formal arg:", farg
    for key in kwargs:
        print "another keyword arg: %s: %s" % (key, kwargs[key])

test_var_kwargs(farg=1, myarg2="two", myarg3=3)

Results:

formal arg: 1
another keyword arg: myarg2: two
another keyword arg: myarg3: 3

Using *args and **kwargs when calling a function

This special syntax can be used, not only in function definitions, but also when calling a function.

def test_var_args_call(arg1, arg2, arg3):
    print "arg1:", arg1
    print "arg2:", arg2
    print "arg3:", arg3

args = ("two", 3)
test_var_args_call(1, *args)

Results:

arg1: 1
arg2: two
arg3: 3

Here is an example using the keyworded form when calling a function:

def test_var_args_call(arg1, arg2, arg3):
    print "arg1:", arg1
    print "arg2:", arg2
    print "arg3:", arg3

kwargs = {"arg3": 3, "arg2": "two"}
test_var_args_call(1, **kwargs)

Results:

arg1: 1
arg2: two
arg3: 3

See also (updated 2009-04-12):

• Section 4.7 More on Defining Functions in the Official Python Tutorial
• PEP 3102 Keyword-Only Arguments
• Section 5.3.4 Calls in the Python Reference Manual

Reference: Core Python Programming, Second Edition, Section 11.6

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• Notes on Python variable scope — posted 2008-01-09