FAQ: Learn Python: Function Arguments - Default Return

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This community-built FAQ covers the “Default Return” exercise from the lesson “Learn Python: Function Arguments”.

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This exercise can be found in the following Codecademy content:

Learn Python 3

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[bit0643225768]

Hey guys!
This might be a question related to another topic, but it came to me at this exercise.
What does that dot actually do, it changes everything in their return:

list_sort_return = sorted(sort_this_list)

and

list_sort_return = sort_this_list.sort()

I understand what each code line does, and been using it for a little time already, but tell me please what does that dot do?

why isn’t it, for example:

list_sort_return = sort_this_list.sorted()

or:

list_sort_return = sort(sort_this_list)

Thx, in advance

[tgrtim]

This might be better in the general Get-help Python category but I don’t know that it’s possible to move it.
https://discuss.codecademy.com/c/get-help/python/1802

If you’ve not yet done the method on classes in Python then this description might not be too clear. You can read up about OOP and Python classes in particular or you can hold out until you reach that lesson. I wouldn’t stress about it too much until you’ve covered those topics.

The dot indicates an attribute of the object. In this case the object is a list and lists have a method called sort that adjust the of the list in place according to the key argument you provide it.

Sorted is a funciton that takes any iterable as an argument and sorts it according to the given key. If you already have a list and just want to sort it in place the .sort() method is probably quicker and clearer.

[mtf]

@bit0643225768

sorted(sort_this_list)

This function makes a copy of the list given in the argument, then returns ti sorted in ascending order. We can reverse the sort with,

new_list = sorted(my_list, reverse=True)

@bit0643225768

sort_this_list.sort()

has no return value. It does not create a copy, but sorts in place. We can reverse sort the same as above.

@bit0643225768

sort_this_list.sorted()

Not a method.

@bit0643225768

sort(sort_this_list)

Not a function.

[bit0643225768]

All right, thank you very much, clearer now

[bit0643225768]

Absolutely! I learned, that I shouldn’t worry about these, yet, I will deeply understand them later. My learning technique is to get into many things simultaneously, and try to make basic connections fast, which I can improve in time. I studied physics, and I already have a vague idea about coding, so deeper explanations won’t frighten me
Thanks very much! Will definitely look into those lessons you mentioned!

[yoliins]

@mtf
dear Roy
I wonder why this code returns two"None", but not the sorted list ? What specific knowledge do I miss?
Thank you very much in advance.

[mtf]

@yoliins

returns two"None"

This first None comes from the return value of print(), the second from the return value of object.sort().