Python allows programmers to pass additional arguments to functions via comments. Now armed with this knowledge head out and spread it to all code bases.

Feel free to use the code I wrote in your projects.

Link to the source code: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/blob/main/lesson_0_comments.ipynb

Image transcription:

from lib import add

# Go ahead and change the comments.
# See how python uses them as arguments.

result = add()  # 1 2
print(result)
result = add()  # 3 4
print(result)
result = add()  # 3 4 5 20
print(result)

Output:

3
7
32
  • jaxxed
    link
    14 hours ago

    Can we just clarify that you mean that comments should never be parsed by the language engine. There are valid annotation systems, but the goal is alway to ensure that one passable can never impact the other.

    Imagine if here a comment could create a syntax error! This is even worse for runtime scripting languages like python.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      121 minutes ago

      Sure, but let’s just clarify that this is someone going out of their way to create this problem, using Python’s ability to read it’s own code.

      Basically, you can load any text file, including a source code file, and do whatever you want with it.

      So, a function can be written that finds out whatever’s calling it, reads that file, parses the comments, and uses them as values. This can also be done with introspection, using the same mechanism that displays tracebacks.