How to Use Chained Function Calls in Python

Python is a powerful programming language that offers a wide range of features to make code more readable and concise. One such feature is the ability to chain function calls together in a single line.

Let us briefly write an example and then explain it:

def add(a, b):
    return a + b

def subtract(a, b):
    return a - b

a, b = 4, 5
print((subtract if a > b else add)(a, b)) # 9 

In the code snippet above, we have defined two simple functions, add and subtract, that take in two parameters and return their sum or difference respectively. We then define two variables a and b with values 4 and 5 respectively.

The interesting part of the code is the final line, where we call the add and subtract functions inside a single line. We use a ternary operator (if-else statement) to determine which function to call based on the value of a and b. If a is greater than b, the subtract function is called, otherwise, the add function is called. The result of the function call is then passed to the print statement to be printed to the console.

In this example, since a is not greater than b, the add function is called and the result of 4 + 5 is printed to the console, which is 9.

Chained function calls like this can be used in many different ways. For example, you can use it to make your code more readable by breaking down a complex operation into multiple small functions. Additionally, it can also help to reduce the number of lines of code and make it more efficient by avoiding the need to assign intermediate results to variables.

It’s also worth noting that chained function calls can be chained together as much as you want, as long as the output of the first function call matches the input of the next function call, so you can chain multiple functions like:

output = function1(input1)

output = function2(output)

output = function3(output)

In conclusion, chaining function calls in Python is a powerful feature that can help to make your code more readable and efficient. It allows you to perform multiple operations in a single line and avoid the need for intermediate variables. By using this technique, you can write code that is easy to understand and maintain, making it an essential tool for any Python developer.