What is the difference between decorators and higher-order functions?

What is the difference between decorators and higher-order functions?

Decorators are a specific type of higher-order function that modify the behavior of another function. Higher-order functions can take functions as arguments or return them.

Can you give me an example of a decorator?

Sure! A simple decorator in Python could be one that prints a message before and after a function runs. Here's an example:

def my_decorator(func):
    def wrapper():
        print('Something is happening before the function is called.')
        func()
        print('Something is happening after the function is called.')
    return wrapper

@my_decorator
def say_hello():
    print('Hello!')

How do higher-order functions differ from regular functions?

Higher-order functions can take other functions as arguments or return them, while regular functions do not have this capability.

Are there any practical uses for decorators?

Yes, decorators are commonly used for logging, access control, memoization, and enforcing preconditions on functions.