Understanding the Difference Between Arguments and Parameters in Programming
In programming, the terms arguments and parameters often come up when coding functions, methods, and procedures. While they are used interchangeably at times, they have distinct meanings and should be used correctly to avoid errors in your code. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between arguments and parameters.
What are Parameters?
Parameters are the placeholders that are used within functions or methods to define the input required for the code to execute. When defining a function or method, you specify how many parameters it expects to receive and their data types. A parameter can be any valid data type such as integers, booleans, strings, arrays, or objects. When the function or method is called, the parameters are passed in the order in which they are defined, and their values are assigned to the local variables within the function or method.
For example, let’s consider a function that calculates the area of a rectangle:
“`python
def calculate_area(width, height):
area = width * height
return area
“`
In this case, the `width` and `height` parameters are defined within the function, and their data types are not specified. When calling the function, you would pass in two arguments, which correspond to the values of `width` and `height`, respectively:
“`python
calculate_area(4, 5)
“`
What are Arguments?
Arguments are the actual values that are passed to a function or method when it is called. They are the input values that are required for the function or method to execute and perform the intended task. When calling a function or method, you pass in arguments that match the data type and number of parameters defined in the function or method.
Consider the same `calculate_area()` function we used as an example earlier. When we call this function and pass in the `width` argument as 4 and the `height` argument as 5, the function will execute and return the area of the rectangle:
“`python
>>> calculate_area(4, 5)
20
“`
The Key Differences Between Arguments and Parameters
The key differences between arguments and parameters are:
– Parameters are placeholders that are used within functions or methods to define the input required to execute the code, whereas arguments are the actual values that are passed to a function or method when it is called.
– Parameters are defined within the function or method and their data types are listed in the definition, while arguments are passed to the function or method when it is called.
– The number and data types of parameters must match the number and data types of arguments passed when calling the function or method. Otherwise, an error will occur.
Understanding the difference between arguments and parameters is crucial for successful programming. Remember, parameters are defined within functions or methods, while arguments are passed to functions or methods when calling them. Using them correctly will help you write efficient and effective code.
Table difference between arguments and parameters
| Argument | Parameter |
|---|---|
| An argument is a value or expression that is passed to a function at the time of calling it. | A parameter is a variable in a function definition that receives a value when the function is called. |
| Arguments are used in function calls. | Parameters are used in function definitions. |
| Arguments can be of any data type. | Parameters can be of any data type. |
| The number of arguments passed to a function can be different from the number of parameters defined in the function. | The number of parameters defined in a function must match the number of arguments passed to the function. |