Python Built-In Functions with Syntax and Examples

We have talked about Functions in Python. In that tutorial of Python Functions, we discussed user-defined functions in Python.

But that isn’t all, a list of Python built-in functions that we can toy around with.

In this tutorial on Built-in functions in Python, we will see each of those; we have 67 of those in Python 3.6 with their Python Syntax and examples.

So, let’s start Python Built-In Functions.

Python Built-In Functions with Syntax and Examples

What are Python Built-In Functions?

1. abs()

The abs() is one of the most popular Python built-in functions, which returns the absolute value of a number.

A negative value’s absolute is that value is positive.

>>> abs(-7)

Output

>>> abs(7)

Output

>>> abs(0)

2. all()

The all() function takes a container as an argument. This Built in Functions returns True if all values in a python iterable have a Boolean value of True.

An empty value has a Boolean value of False.

>>> all({'*','',''})

Output

>>> all([' ',' ',' '])

Output

3. any()

Like all(), it takes one argument and returns True if, even one value in the iterable has a Boolean value of True.

>>> any((1,0,0))

Output

>>> any((0,0,0))

Output

4.  ascii()

It is important Python built-in functions, returns a printable representation of a python object (like a string or a Python list).

Let’s take a Romanian character.

>>> ascii('ș')

Output

Since this was a non-ASCII character in python, the interpreter added a backslash (\) and escaped it using another backslash.

>>> ascii('ușor')

Output

Let’s apply it to a list.

>>> ascii(['s','ș'])

Output

5. bin()

bin() converts an integer to a binary string. We have seen this and other functions in our article on Python Numbers.

>>> bin(7)

Output

We can’t apply it on floats, though.

>>> bin(7.0)

Output

6. bool()

bool() converts a value to Boolean.

>>> bool(0.5)

Output

>>> bool('')

Output

>>> bool(True)

Output

7. bytearray()

bytearray() returns a python array of a given byte size.

>>> a=bytearray(4)
>>> a

Output

>>> a.append(1)
>>> a

Output

>>> a[0]=1
>>> a

Output

>>> a[0]

Output

Let’s do this on a list.

>>> bytearray([1,2,3,4])

Output

8. bytes()

bytes() returns an immutable bytes object.

>>> bytes(5)

Output

>>> bytes([1,2,3,4,5])

Output

>>> bytes('hello','utf-8')

Output

Both bytes() and bytearray() deal with raw data, but bytearray() is mutable, while bytes() is immutable.

>>> a=bytes([1,2,3,4,5])
>>> a

Output

>>> a[4]=

Output

Let’s try this on bytearray().

>>> a=bytearray([1,2,3,4,5])
>>> a

Output

>>> a[4]=3
>>> a

Output

9. callable()

callable() tells us if an object can be called.

>>> callable([1,2,3])

Output

>>> callable(callable)

Output

>>> callable(False)

Output

>>> callable(list)

Output

A function is callable, a list is not. Even the callable() python Built In function is callable.

10. chr()

chr() Built In function returns the character in python for an ASCII value.

>>> chr(65)

Output

>>> chr(97)

Output

>>> chr(9)

Output

>>> chr(48)

Output

11. classmethod()

classmethod() returns a class method for a given method.

>>> class fruit:
                def sayhi(self):
                                print("Hi, I'm a fruit") 
       
>>> fruit.sayhi=classmethod(fruit.sayhi)
>>> fruit.sayhi()

Output

When we pass the method sayhi() as an argument to classmethod(), it converts it into a python class method one that belongs to the class.

Then, we call it like we would call any static method in python without an object.

12. compile()

compile() returns a Python code object. We use Python in built function to convert a string code into object code.

>>> exec(compile('a=5\nb=7\nprint(a+b)','','exec'))

Output

Here, ‘exec’ is the mode. The parameter before that is the filename for the file form which the code is read.

Finally, we execute it using exec().

13. complex()

complex() function creates a complex number. We have seen this is our article on Python Numbers.

>>> complex(3)

Output

>>> complex(3.5)

Output

>>> complex(3+5j)

Output

14. delattr()

delattr() takes two arguments- a class, and an attribute in it. It deletes the attribute.

>>> class fruit:
                size=7  
         
>>> orange=fruit()
>>> orange.size

Output

>>> delattr(fruit,'size')
>>> orange.size

Output

15. dict()

dict(), as we have seen it, creates a python dictionary.

>>> dict()

Output

>>> dict([(1,2),(3,4)])

Output

This was about dict() Python Built In function

16. dir()

dir() returns an object’s attributes.

>>> class fruit:
                size=7
                shape='round'
>>> orange=fruit()
>>> dir(orange)

Output

17. divmod()

divmod() in Python built-in functions, takes two parameters, and returns a tuple of their quotient and remainder.

In other words, it returns the floor division and the modulus of the two numbers.

>>> divmod(3,7)

Output

>>> divmod(7,3)

Output

If you encounter any doubt in Python Built-in Function, Please Comment.

18. enumerate()

This Python Built In function returns an enumerate object. In other words, it adds a counter to the iterable.

>>> for i in enumerate(['a','b','c']):
                print(i)

Output

19. eval()

This Function takes a string as an argument, which is parsed as an expression.

>>> x=7
>>> eval('x+7')

Output

>>> eval('x+(x%2)')

Output

20. exec()

exec() runs Python code dynamically.

>>> exec('a=2;b=3;print(a+b)')

Output

>>> exec(input("Enter your program"))

Output

21. filter()

Like we’ve seen in python Lambda Expressios, filter() filters out the items for which the condition is True.

>>> list(filter(lambda x:x%2==0,[1,2,0,False]))

Output

22. float()

This Python Built In function converts an int or a compatible value into a float.

>>> float(2)

Output

>>> float('3')

Output

>>> float('3s')

Output

>>> float(False)

Output

>>> float(4.7)

Output

23. format()

We have seen this Python built-in function, one in our lesson on Python Strings.

>>> a,b=2,3
>>> print("a={0} and b={1}".format(a,b))

Output

>>> print("a={a} and b={b}".format(a=3,b=4))

Output

24. frozenset()

frozenset() returns an immutable frozenset object.

>>> frozenset((3,2,4))

Output

25. getattr()

getattr() returns the value of an object’s attribute.

>>> getattr(orange,'size')

Output

26. globals()

This Python built-in functions, returns a dictionary of the current global symbol table.

>>> globals()

Output

27. hasattr()

Like delattr() and getattr(), hasattr() Python built-in functions, returns True if the object has that attribute.

>>> hasattr(orange,'size')

Output

>>> hasattr(orange,'shape')

Output

>>> hasattr(orange,'color')

Output

28. hash()

hash() function returns the hash value of an object. And in Python, everything is an object.

>>> hash(orange)

Output

>>> hash(orange)

Output

>>> hash(True)

Output

>>> hash(0)

Output

>>> hash(3.7)

Output

>>> hash(hash)

Output

This was all about hash() Python In Built function

29. help()

To get details about any module, keyword, symbol, or topic, we use the help() function.

>>> help()

Welcome to Python 3.6's help utility!

If this is your first time using Python, you should definitely check out the tutorial on the Internet at http://docs.python.org/3.6/tutorial/.

Enter the name of any module, keyword, or topic to get help on writing Python programs and using Python modules.  To quit this help utility and return to the interpreter, just type "quit".

To get a list of available modules, keywords, symbols, or topics, type "modules", "keywords", "symbols", or "topics".  Each module also comes with a one-line summary of what it does; to list the modules whose name or summary contain a given string such as "spam", type "modules spam".

help> map
Help on class map in module builtins:
class map(object)
|  map(func, *iterables) --> map object 
| 
|  Make an iterator that computes the function using arguments from
|  each of the iterables.  Stops when the shortest iterable is exhausted.
|
|  Methods defined here:
|
|  __getattribute__(self, name, /)
|      Return getattr(self, name).
|
|  __iter__(self, /)
|      Implement iter(self).
|
|  __new__(*args, **kwargs) from builtins.type
|      Create and return a new object.  See help(type) for accurate signature.
|
|  __next__(self, /)
|      Implement next(self).
|
|  __reduce__(...)
|      Return state information for pickling.
help> You are now leaving help and returning to the Python interpreter.
If you want to ask for help on a particular object directly from the
interpreter, you can type "help(object)".  Executing "help('string')"
has the same effect as typing a particular string at the help> prompt.
>>>

30. hex()

Hex() Python built-in functions, converts an integer to hexadecimal.

>>> hex(16)

Output

>>> hex(False)

Output

31. id() Function

id() returns an object’s identity.

>>> id(orange)

Output

>>> id({1,2,3})==id({1,3,2})

Output

32.  input()

Input() Python built-in functions, reads and returns a line of string.

>>> input("Enter a number")

Output

Note that this returns the input as a string. If we want to take 7 as an integer, we need to apply the int() function to it.

>>> int(input("Enter a number"))

Output

33. int()

int() converts a value to an integer.

>>> int('7')

Output

34. isinstance()

We have seen this one in previous lessons. isinstance() takes a variable and a class as arguments.

Then, it returns True if the variable belongs to the class. Otherwise, it returns False.

>>> isinstance(0,str)

Output

>>> isinstance(orange,fruit)

Output

35. issubclass()

This Python Built In function takes two arguments- two python classes. If the first class is a subclass of the second, it returns True.

Otherwise, it returns False.

>>> issubclass(fruit,fruit)

Output

>>> class fruit:
           pass
>>> class citrus(fruit):
           pass

>>> issubclass(fruit,citrus)

Output

36. iter()

Iter() Python built-in functions, returns a python iterator for an object.

>>> for i in iter([1,2,3]):
            print(i)

Output

37. len()

We’ve seen len() so many times by now. It returns the length of an object.

>>> len({1,2,2,3})

Output

Here, we get 3 instead of 4, because the set takes the value ‘2’ only once.

38. list()

list() creates a list from a sequence of values.

>>> list({1,3,2,2})

Output

39. locals()

This function returns a dictionary of the current local symbol table.

>>> locals()

Output

40. map()

Like filter(), map() Python built-in functions, takes a function and applies it on an iterable. It maps True or False values on each item in the iterable.

>>> list(map(lambda x:x%2==0,[1,2,3,4,5]))

Output

41. max()

A no-brainer, max() returns the item, in a sequence, with the highest value of all.

>>> max(2,3,4)

Output

>>> max([3,5,4])

Output

>>> max('hello','Hello')

Output

42. memoryview()

memoryview() shows us the memory view of an argument.

>>> a=bytes(4)
>>> memoryview(a)

Output

>>> for i in memoryview(a): 
         print(i)

43. min()

min() returns the lowest value in a sequence.

>>> min(3,5,1)

Output

>>> min(True,False)

Output

44. next()

This Python Built In function returns the next element from the iterator.

>>> myIterator=iter([1,2,3,4,5])
>>> next(myIterator)

Output

>>> next(myIterator)

Output

>>> next(myIterator)

Output

>>> next(myIterator)

Output

>>> next(myIterator)

Output

Now that we’ve traversed all items, when we call next(), it raises StopIteration.

>>> next(myIterator)

Output

45. object()

Object() Python built-in functions, creates a featureless object.

>>> o=object()
>>> type(o)

Output

>>> dir(o)

Output

Here, the function type() tells us that it’s an object. dir() tells us the object’s attributes. But since this does not have the __dict__ attribute, we can’t assign to arbitrary attributes.

46. oct()

oct() converts an integer to its octal representation.

>>> oct(7)

Output

>>> oct(8)

Output

>>> oct(True)

Output

47. open()

open() lets us open a file. Let’s change the current working directory to Desktop.

>>> import os
>>> os.chdir('C:\\Users\\lifei\\Desktop')

Now, we open the file ‘topics.txt’.

>>> f=open('topics.txt')
>>> f

Output

>>> type(f)

Output

To read from the file, we use the read() method.

>>> print(f.read())
DBMS mappings
projection
union
rdbms vs dbms
doget dopost
how to add maps
OOT
SQL queries
Join
Pattern programs

Output

48. ord()

The function ord() returns an integer that represents the Unicode point for a given Unicode character.

>>> ord('A')

Output

>>> ord('9')

Output

This is complementary to chr().

>>> chr(65)

Output

49. pow()

pow() takes two arguments- say, x and y. It then returns the value of x to the power of y.

>>> pow(3,4)

Output

>>> pow(7,0)

Output

>>> pow(7,-1)

Output

>>> pow(7,-2)

Output

50. print()

We don’t think we need to explain this anymore. We’ve been seeing this function since the beginning of this article.

>>> print("Okay, next function, please!")

Output

51. property()

The function property() returns a property attribute. Alternatively, we can use the syntactic sugar @property.

We will learn this in detail in our tutorial on Python Property.

52. range()

We’ve taken a whole tutorial on this. Read up range() in Python.

>>> for i in range(7,2,-2):
         print(i)

Output

53. repr()

repr() returns a representable string of an object.

>>> repr("Hello")

Output

>>> repr(7)

Output

>>> repr(False)

Output

54. reversed()

This functions reverses the contents of an iterable and returns an iterator object.

>>> a=reversed([3,2,1])
>>> a

Output

>>> for i in a:
print(i)

Output

>>> type(a)

Output

55. round()

round() rounds off a float to the given number of digits (given by the second argument).

>>> round(3.777,2)

Output

>>> round(3.7,3)

Output

>>> round(3.7,-1)

Output

>>> round(377.77,-1)

Output

The rounding factor can be negative.

56. set()

Of course, set() returns a set of the items passed to it.

>>> set([2,2,3,1])

Output

Remember, a set cannot have duplicate values, and isn’t indexed, but is ordered. Read on Sets and Booleans for the same.

57. setattr()

Like getattr(), setattr() sets an attribute’s value for an object.

>>> orange.size

Output

>>> orange.size=8
>>> orange.size

Output

58. slice()

slice() returns a slice object that represents the set of indices specified by range(start, stop, step).

>>> slice(2,7,2)

Output

We can use this to iterate on an iterable like a string in python.

>>> 'Python'[slice(1,5,2)]

Output

59.  sorted()

Like we’ve seen before, sorted() prints out a sorted version of an iterable. It does not, however, alter the iterable.

>>> sorted('Python')

Output

>>> sorted([1,3,2])

Output

60. staticmethod()

staticmethod() creates a static method from a function. A static method is bound to a class rather than to an object.

But it can be called on the class or on an object.

>>> class fruit:
            def sayhi():
                          print("Hi")
>>> fruit.sayhi=staticmethod(fruit.sayhi)
>>> fruit.sayhi()

Output

You can also use the syntactic sugar @staticmethod for this.

>>> class fruit:
            @staticmethod
             def sayhi():
                     print("Hi")
>>> fruit.sayhi()

Output

61. str()

str() takes an argument and returns the string equivalent of it.

>>> str('Hello')

Output

>>> str(7)

Output

>>> str(8.7)

Output

>>> str(False)

Output

>>> str([1,2,3])

Output

62. sum()

The function sum() takes an iterable as an argument, and returns the sum of all values.

>>> sum([3,4,5],3)

Output

63. super()

super() returns a proxy object to let you refer to the parent class.

>>> class person:
           def __init__(self):
               print("A person")
>>> class student(person):
            def __init__(self):
                super().__init__()
                print("A student")
>>> Avery=student()

Output

64. tuple()

As we’ve seen in our tutorial on Python Tuples, the function tuple() lets us create a tuple.

>>> tuple([1,3,2])

Output

>>> tuple({1:'a',2:'b'})

Output

65. type()

We have been seeing the type() function to check the type of object we’re dealing with.

>>> type({})

Output

>>> type(set())

Output

>>> type(())

Output

>>> type((1))

Output

>>> type((1,))

Output

66. vars()

vars() function returns the __dict__ attribute of a class.

>>> vars(fruit)

Output

67. zip()

zip() returns us an iterator of tuples.

>>> set(zip([1,2,3],['a','b','c']))

Output

>>> set(zip([1,2],[3,4,5]))

Output

>>> a=zip([1,2,3],['a','b','c'])

To unzip this, we write the following code.

>>> x,y,z=a
>>> x

Output

>>> y

Output

>>> z

Output

Isn’t this just like tuple unpacking? So, this was all about Python Built-in Functions. Hope you like our explanation.

Python Interview Question on Built-in Functions

1. What are built in functions in Python?
2. How many built in functions does Python have?
3. Give an example of built in function in Python library.
4. What are the inbuilt functions in Python?
5. How do you find the built in function in Python?

Conclusion

Phew, was that too much for once? It may be overwhelming at once, but as you will get using these python Built-in functions, you will get used to them.