What is the difference between print() and return in Python?
Davide S

In Python,print() andreturn are two distinct mechanisms used for different purposes. Here's a detailed explanation of the differences betweenprint() andreturn: print(): Theprint() function is used to display information or output to the console. It is primarily used for debugging, providing information to users, or displaying intermediate results during program execution.print() sends the specified values to the standard output (usually the console) and formats them as a string.

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def greet(name):
    print("Hello, " + name + "!")

greet("Alice")  # Output: Hello, Alice!

In the example above, theprint() function is used to display a greeting message to the console. The output is directly shown on the screen and does not affect the program's control flow or return any value. return: Thereturn statement is used to exit a function and specify the value that the function should return. It is used to send a computed value back to the caller or to provide the result of a function's operation. When areturn statement is encountered, the function terminates and control is passed back to the calling code.

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def add_numbers(a, b):
    return a + b

result = add_numbers(3, 4)
print(result)  # Output: 7

In this example, theadd_numbers() function takes two parameters and returns their sum using thereturn statement. The returned value is stored in the variableresult and can be further used or assigned to other variables. The key differences betweenprint() andreturn are: 1. Purpose:print() is used to display information or output to the console, whilereturn is used to exit a function and provide a result to the calling code. 2. Effect on Program Flow:print() does not affect the program's control flow; it simply displays the output on the console. On the other hand,return ends the execution of a function and passes control back to the caller. 3. Value:print() does not produce a value that can be stored or used elsewhere.return explicitly provides a value as the result of a function, allowing it to be used in assignments or as input for other operations. In summary,print() is for displaying output, whilereturn is for providing results and controlling the flow of a function. They serve different purposes and should be used according to the desired outcome in your code.

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