Using "Random" As An Argument In Python

Python's built-in random module provides us with powerful tools to generate secure random numbers. In this blog post, we will learn how to use the random module when passing arguments to a function.

Using a random number as an argument will yield unpredictable results and often prevent a function from running indefinitely. This can be especially useful in server-side applications where the same data is frequently accessed and updated.

To use the random module, we first need to import it into our code:

import random

After importing random, we can generate a random number as an argument to a function:

random_number = random.randint(40,50)

def calculateSomething(a, random_number):
    return a + random_number

calculateSomething(5, random_number)

In the code above, we declared a function calculateSomething, that takes two arguments, a and a randomly generated number (random_number). This can be useful in scenarios where you need different values every time the script is run.

However, in some applications, it is necessary to have the same result each time. In such cases, you can use the random.seed function to ensure that your script generates the same result each time:

random.seed(42)

random_number = random.randint(40,50)

def calculateSomething(a, random_number):
    return a + random_number

calculateSomething(5, random_number)

When the random.seed function is used (with a value of 42 in this case), the random_number generated will always be the same.

Ultimately, the random module can be a useful tool when used with arguments in your Python code. As demonstrated, it allows you to generate the same or different results, depending on your requirements.