Python Lambda Functions: A Practical Guide

Last update on September 03 2024 12:40:47 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Introduction to Python Lambda Functions

Lambda functions in Python are small, anonymous functions defined with the 'lambda' keyword. They are useful for creating simple functions without needing to formally define a function using 'def'. This tutorial will guide you through various examples of using lambda functions, focusing on practical usage.

Consider the following function:

Code:

def func(a): return a + 1
print(func(5)) # Output 6

The same function can be defined using lambda expression as follows:

Code:

func = lambda a: a + 1
print(func(5)) #Output 6

Both functions are the same. Note that lambda does not include a return statement. The right expression is the implicit return value. Lambda functions need not to be assigned to any variable.

Example 1: Basic Lambda Function

This example demonstrates a simple lambda function that adds 10 to a given number. Lambda functions are ideal for small, single-use functions like this.

Code:

# A basic lambda function that adds 10 to a given number
add_ten = lambda x: x + 100

# Using the lambda function
result = add_ten(25)  # Output: 125
print(result)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda x: x + 100' creates an anonymous function that takes one argument 'x' and returns 'x + 100'.
Usage: We assign the lambda function to the variable ‘add_ten’, then use it to add 100 to the number 25.

Example 2: Lambda Function with Multiple Arguments

This example shows a lambda function with multiple arguments, which multiplies two numbers. It highlights how lambda functions can handle simple operations with more than one input.

Code:

# A lambda function that multiplies two numbers
multiply = lambda x, y: x * y

# Using the lambda function
result = multiply(5, 3)  # Output: 15
print(result)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda x, y: x * y' defines a function that takes two arguments, 'x' and 'y', and returns their product.
Usage: We use the lambda function to multiply 5 and 3, resulting in 15.

Example 3: Lambda Function with 'map()'

This example demonstrates using a lambda function with 'map()' to apply an operation to each element in a list, specifically squaring each number.

Code:

# A list of numbers
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# Using map() with a lambda function to square each number in the list
squared_numbers = list(map(lambda x: x ** 2, numbers))

# Output: [1, 4, 9, 16, 25]
print(squared_numbers)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda x: x ** 2' defines a function that squares its input.
'map()' Function: Applies the lambda function to each element in the 'numbers' list.
Usage: The 'map()' function returns a map object, which we convert to a list of squared numbers.

Example 4: Lambda Function with 'filter()'

This example shows how to use a lambda function with filter() to select elements from a list that meet a certain condition—in this case, filtering out even numbers.

Code:

# A list of numbers
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

# Using filter() with a lambda function to filter out even numbers
even_numbers = list(filter(lambda x: x % 2 == 0, numbers))

# Output: [2, 4, 6, 8, 10]
print(even_numbers)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda x: x % 2 == 0' defines a function that returns 'True' if 'x' is even.
'filter()' Function: Filters the numbers list, returning only the even numbers.
Usage: The 'filter()' function returns a filter object, which we convert to a list of even numbers.

Example 5: Lambda Function with 'reduce()'

This example demonstrates using a lambda function with ‘reduce()’ to perform a cumulative operation on a list of elements, specifically calculating the product of all numbers.

Code:

from functools import reduce

# A list of numbers
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# Using reduce() with a lambda function to calculate the product of all numbers
product = reduce(lambda x, y: x * y, numbers)

# Output: 120
print(product)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda x, y: x * y' multiplies two numbers.
'reduce()' Function: Applies the lambda function cumulatively to the items in the 'numbers' list, reducing them to a single value.
Usage: The 'reduce()' function returns the product of all numbers in the list.

Example 6: Lambda Function in Sorting

This example illustrates using a lambda function with sorted() to sort a list of tuples by a specific element—in this case, sorting people by age.

Code:

# A list of tuples representing (name, age)
people = [('Flavienne', 30), ('Zalmon', 25), ('Katerina', 35)]

# Using sorted() with a lambda function to sort by age
sorted_people = sorted(people, key=lambda person: person[1])

# Output: [('Flavienne', 25), ('Zalmon', 30), ('Katerina', 35)]
print(sorted_people)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda person: person[1]' extracts the second element (age) from each tuple.
'sorted()' Function: Sorts the 'people' list based on the age of each person.
Usage: The 'sorted()' function returns a new list of tuples sorted by age.

Example 7: Lambda Function in Dictionary Operations

This example demonstrates using a lambda function with ‘max()’ to find the key associated with the highest value in a dictionary, such as identifying the most expensive item.

Code:

# A dictionary of items and their prices
prices = {'apple': 2, 'banana': 1, 'cherry': 3}

# Using max() with a lambda function to find the most expensive item
most_expensive = max(prices, key=lambda item: prices[item])

# Output: 'cherry'
print(most_expensive)

Explanation:

Lambda Function: 'lambda item: prices[item]' returns the price of the item.
'max()' Function: Finds the item with the highest price.
Usage: The 'max()' function returns the key (item) associated with the maximum value (price) in the dictionary.