[Tutor] underscore function

[Tim Golden]

[linda.s]

| I got a sample code and found some
| function definition looks like def _abc
| There is one underscore before the function name "abc",
| what does it mean?

It's a convention which indicates to any user of the code
(including the original developer) that the function is
not intended to be used externally to the module (or
class, or whatever) in which it is defined.

Note that this is a convention only: there's absolutely
nothing to stop you calling _abc (args) within your code.
But the original developer intended that this function
be an implementation detail that might change, or be
refactored, or which assumes a particular state of
data which might not obtain when called from elsewhere,
etc.

TJG

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