is Python return always necessary

Question

I just stumbled across several python programs written by different people and I noticed that every function had a return at the end of it

def function01():
    # function
    # events
    # here
    return

I was wondering if it's good python programming practice to include return at the end of functions even if it is not returning anything (purely as a way of ending the function)

Or is it not needed and nothing different will happen in the background?

An empty `return` will return `None`. You'll get the same result if you don't use an explicit `return`. — Matthias, Apr 28 '15 at 07:03

score 22 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 28 '15 at 07:01

22

No, it is not necessary. The function returns after the last line. There is no difference between a simple return and no return.

def foo():
    pass

def bar():
    pass
    return

f = foo()
print(f)
b = bar()
print(b)

Output:

None
None

answered Apr 28 '15 at 07:01

4

Note that, unlike in other languages, unadorned `return` or no return statement at all will return the _value_ `None`, not nothing. A tricky little nuance. – imallett Apr 28 '15 at 07:05
@imallett I wonder why they designed the language like this lol – committedandroider Oct 20 '19 at 08:56
1

Because of a single word: simplicity: a function simply always returns something. – Maarten Bodewes Jan 25 '20 at 04:34
Is the last expression in a function definition returned automatically? (some languages do it). – justin Mar 08 '20 at 14:55

is Python return always necessary

1 Answers1