What is the difference between a module-level function and a global function in Python?
Richard W

In Python, there is a distinction between module-level functions and global functions, based on their scope and accessibility within a program. 1. Module-Level Function: A module-level function is a function defined within a module. It is accessible within the module and can be imported and used by other modules. Here's an example of a module-level function defined in a module calledmy_module.py:

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def module_level_function():
    print("This is a module-level function.")

# Usage in another module:
import my_module

my_module.module_level_function()  # Output: "This is a module-level function."

In the above code,module_level_function() is defined within themy_module module. It can be accessed and used by importing themy_module module in another module. The function is available within the module's namespace and can be called directly using dot notation (my_module.module_level_function()). 2. Global Function: A global function is a function defined outside any modules or classes, usually at the top level of a script. It is accessible from any part of the script. Here's an example of a global function defined in a script:

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def global_function():
    print("This is a global function.")

# Usage within the script:
global_function()  # Output: "This is a global function."

In the above code,global_function() is defined at the top level of the script. It can be accessed and used from anywhere within the script without importing or qualifying it with any module name. The function is in the global namespace and can be called directly (global_function()). To summarize, the key differences between module-level functions and global functions in Python are: - Module-level functions are defined within a module and are accessible within the module and by importing the module into other modules. - Global functions are defined outside any modules or classes and are accessible from anywhere within the script without importing or qualifying with any module name. - Module-level functions are scoped within the module's namespace, while global functions are in the global namespace. - Module-level functions are typically used to organize related functionality within a module, while global functions are used for general-purpose functions that are needed throughout the script. Understanding these differences will help you structure your code and determine the appropriate scope for your functions based on their usage and visibility requirements.

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