Python identity function and itself method

Question

Is there any function in python standard library that returns its argument, something similar to lambda x: x and a method that returns its self?

My motivation is to implement something like:

def identity(x):
    return x

def default(arg, default, func=identity):
    return func(arg) if arg is not None else func(default)

Ruby has itself that would be something like:

class Self:
    def itself(self):
        return self

There are other use cases for a function/method composition that returns its arguments or its self.

No, there is none, but you seem to have been able to define one easily enough. — juanpa.arrivillaga, Aug 07 '19 at 20:09
Question asked [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23753569/function-returning-reference-to-itself-python) it seems that it doesn't exist — Benoit Drogou, Aug 07 '19 at 20:28

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 07 '19 at 20:14

1

Imho there are two packages that bring identity along many other functional, pure python, and performant methods: funcy and toolz

answered Aug 07 '19 at 20:14

Drey

1 Answers1