Python Return Values
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The return Statement
return sends a value back to whatever code called the function, and execution of the function stops the instant return runs — any code written after it in the same block never executes.
Example: The return Statement
def add(a, b):
return a + b
print("This never runs")
print(add(2, 3))Implicit return None
A function with no return statement at all implicitly gives back None once it finishes; writing a bare return with no value does exactly the same thing, explicitly ending the function early while still returning nothing meaningful.
Example: Implicit return None
def log(message):
print(message)
result = log("hi")
print(result)Returning Multiple Values
Writing return a, b looks like it's returning two separate values, but Python actually packs them into a single tuple automatically — the caller can then unpack that tuple back into two variables with x, y = my_function().
Example: Returning Multiple Values
def min_max(numbers):
return min(numbers), max(numbers)
x, y = min_max([3, 1, 4, 1, 5])
print(x, y)Returning Complex Data Types
A function can return any Python object at all — a list, a dictionary, a custom class instance — not just simple numbers or strings, which is what makes functions composable building blocks for larger programs.
Example: Returning Complex Data Types
def make_user():
return {"name": "Alex", "age": 30}
user = make_user()
print(user)Early return
Returning as soon as an invalid input or edge case is detected — rather than nesting the rest of the function inside an else — is a common style called a "guard clause," and it usually keeps the main logic flatter and easier to follow.
Example: Early return
def safe_divide(a, b):
if b == 0:
return None
return a / b
print(safe_divide(10, 0))Chapter Quiz — Complete all 9 topics to unlock
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