In Python programming, the concepts of *args
and **kwargs
provide flexibility for handling variable numbers of arguments.
These features are particularly useful in AI and machine learning applications, where functions and methods often need to accommodate a variety of inputs and configurations. This article will explain *args
and **kwargs
, and illustrate their use with examples related to AI and machine learning.
Understanding *args
and **kwargs
*args
*args
allows you to pass a variable number of non-keyword arguments to a function. The asterisk (*
) before args
collects extra positional arguments as a tuple.
**kwargs
**kwargs
allows you to pass a variable number of keyword arguments. The double asterisk (**
) before kwargs
collects extra keyword arguments as a dictionary.
Why Use *args
and **kwargs
?
In AI and machine learning, functions often need to handle different types and numbers of parameters. *args
and **kwargs
make functions more flexible and reusable, allowing for more dynamic and adaptable code.