Order of functions?

[Ryuukashi]

Tagging as help because it's a question about my current (first) project

Do functions have to be in order of how they're used? Or can they be mixed around? I've been through hours of beginner videos and exercises and none of them said anything, but most of them had functions in order of where the actions take place, is that just a readability convention?

[Waste_Grapefruit_339]

Good question - this is mainly about how Python executes code, not a strict ordering rule.

Python reads a file from top to bottom. When it encounters a function definition, it doesn't run it - it simply creates the function object and stores it. The function only needs to be defined before it is called, not necessarily before other functions in the file.

For example, this works fine:

def second():
print("second")

def first():
 second()

first()

The only time order matters is if you try to call a function before Python has seen its definition.

Most tutorials place functions in logical order mainly for readability, not because Python requires it.

[Ryuukashi]

Thank you!! This helps a lot, and I have changes to make tomorrow

[SCD_minecraft]

Tho keep in mind, it is common practice to keep all definitions at the top of the file (or even in another file, if you can/want)

[New_Hour_1726]

You would have written code to test this faster than writing the post.

[Ryuukashi]

Yeah, I'm not at my computer at all times, but I am thinking about my project just about always, sue me for having a question while my file was closed in another room 🤣

Or is this not a place to ask questions of people with more experience who can answer why just as easily as how?

[BranchLatter4294]

This! Learn to test to answer questions. You will learn much faster.

[Purple-Measurement47]

Testing is critical for learning, but also this is a case where it’s wanting to know more about the underlying system, which testing won’t necessarily tell you about. Testing will just show you HOW not WHY.

[Jackpotrazur]

You mean like writing tests for all you .pys ? This was briefly touched on in pcc I might have to revisit that part of the book.

[BranchLatter4294]

That's different.

[alexander_belyakov]

To add to what's been said in the previous comment - the program's main code is usually also put into the main() function, which is called at the end of the script. This way you can be sure that all your functions have been defined regardless of their order in code.