Prev Next

R Functions Intro

Functions in R are used to encapsulate a block of code that performs a specific task. They help make code modular, reusable, and easier to debug. R comes with built-in functions, but you can also create your own custom functions.

Key Topics

Function Syntax

The basic syntax for creating a function in R is:

my_function <- function(arg1, arg2, ...) {
    # Code to execute
    return(value)
}

Here, my_function is the function name, arg1, arg2, etc., are arguments, and return() is used to return a value from the function.

Function Example

# Example of a simple function
greet <- function(name) {
    message <- paste("Hello,", name, "!")
    return(message)
}

# Calling the function
greet("R User")

Output:

[1] "Hello, R User!"

Code Explanation: The function greet takes an argument name and constructs a greeting message using paste(). The return() statement outputs the greeting message.

Key Takeaways

  • Functions in R help organize code into reusable blocks.
  • The return() function is used to output a value from the function.
  • Functions can take arguments, making them flexible and adaptable to different inputs.
Prev Next