Lesson overview¶

In this lesson we will learn how to create and use function (funktio), one of the most powerful concepts in programming. We will also introduce you to the concept of a module (moduuli) (also known as a library (ohjelmakirjasto) in other programming languages), which you can think of as a toolbox for a specific purpose. Each module contains specific functionalities (i.e., functions) that you can use for different tasks. Thus functions and modules are closely related. The main components of today’s lesson can be found in the navigation bar to the left.

Learning goals¶

After this weeks lesson your should be able to:

Explain how functions are used and their benefits
Create your own functions to calculate an output value based on an input value
Save functions to a script file for future use

Lesson videos¶

Lesson 4.1 - Introduction to Functions

Dave Whipp & Vuokko Heikinheimo, University of Helsinki @ Geo-Python channel on Youtube.

Lesson 4.2 - Functions in script files and using modules

Dave Whipp & Vuokko Heikinheimo, University of Helsinki @ Geo-Python channel on Youtube.