What are some practical use cases for closures in Python?

What are some practical use cases for closures in Python?

Closures in Python are useful for encapsulating state and creating function factories. For example, they can be used to create decorators, manage state in callbacks, or implement private variables.

Can you give me an example of a closure in action?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

def outer_function(msg):
    def inner_function():
        print(msg)
    return inner_function

my_greeting = outer_function('Hello, World!')
my_greeting()  # This will print 'Hello, World!'

How do closures help with data hiding?

Closures allow you to hide data by keeping it in the scope of the outer function. The inner function can access this data, but it cannot be accessed directly from outside, effectively creating private variables.

Are there any performance considerations when using closures?

Yes, closures can have a slight overhead due to the additional function scope. However, they are generally efficient and can lead to cleaner, more maintainable code.