First class objects in a language are handled uniformly throughout. They may be stored in data structures, passed as arguments, or used in control structures. A programming language is said to support first-class functions if it treats functions as first-class objects. Python supports the concept of First Class functions.

Properties of first class functions

In Python, functions are considered as first-class objects or first-class citizens, which means that they can be treated just like any other object, such as integers, strings, or lists. This feature enables programmers to pass functions as arguments to other functions, return functions as values from other functions, and even assign functions to variables.

One of the significant advantages of having first-class functions in Python is the ability to write higher-order functions. Higher-order functions are functions that take one or more functions as arguments or return a function as a result. For example, the built-in map() function in Python takes a function and applies it to each element of an iterable.

Another example of a higher-order function in Python is the decorator function. A decorator is a function that takes another function as an argument and extends the behavior of the latter function without explicitly modifying it. Decorators are widely used in Python to add new features or functionalities to existing functions.

Python's first-class functions also make it possible to implement closures, which are functions that can remember and access the values of the enclosing scope even when they are executed outside that scope. This feature allows for more flexible and powerful code constructs.

Overall, Python's support for first-class functions provides a powerful and flexible way of programming that can help developers write more efficient, maintainable, and reusable code.