What are closures in Python?

What are closures in Python?

Closures in Python are functions that remember the values from their enclosing lexical scope, even when the function is executed outside that scope.

Can you give me an example of a closure?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

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

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

What is the difference between a closure and a regular function?

The main difference is that a closure retains access to its enclosing scope's variables, while a regular function does not.

When would I use closures in my code?

Closures are useful for data hiding, creating factory functions, and maintaining state in a function without using global variables.