Python 传递参数的方式：值(=对象的引用的值)传递

Python 传递参数的方式为“值传递”，但这种值仅仅是对象的引用。
It is “pass by value” but all values are just references to objects.

Python 传递对象的引用的值。
一些数据类型显示的是pass-by-value特征，其他一些和pass-by-reference相似。原因是因为Python中的对象分可变和不可变两类。

一些对象，如string, tuple和number不可变，如果在函数/方法内部修改它们，将会创建新的实例，函数/方法外部的原始实例不会改变。

其他对象，如list和dictionary是可变的，因此可以实时改变对象，在函数/方法内部修改对象的同时也会改变外部的原始对象。

下面是两种不同数据类型的例子：

List - 一种可变类型

下面的代码试图修改传递给方法的列表:

def try_to_change_list_contents(the_list):
    print('got', the_list)
    the_list.append('four')
    print('changed to', the_list)

outer_list = ['one', 'two', 'three']

print('before, outer_list =', outer_list)
try_to_change_list_contents(outer_list)
print('after, outer_list =', outer_list)

输出如下:

before, outer_list = ['one', 'two', 'three']
got ['one', 'two', 'three']
changed to ['one', 'two', 'three', 'four']
after, outer_list = ['one', 'two', 'three', 'four']

然后看一下修改作为参数而传入的引用会发生什么:

def try_to_change_list_reference(the_list):
    print('got', the_list)
    the_list = ['and', 'we', 'can', 'not', 'lie'] #指向新的list，外部list不受影响
    print('set to', the_list)
outer_list = ['we', 'like', 'proper', 'English']
print('before, outer_list =', outer_list)
try_to_change_list_reference(outer_list)
print('after, outer_list =', outer_list)

输出如下:

before, outer_list = ['we', 'like', 'proper', 'English']
got ['we', 'like', 'proper', 'English']
set to ['and', 'we', 'can', 'not', 'lie']
after, outer_list = ['we', 'like', 'proper', 'English']

在函数内部 the_list现在指向一个新的list，因此无法修改outer_list指向的list。

String - 一种不可变类型

因为是不可变的，所以无法改变string 的内容:
下面的代码试图修改引用：

def try_to_change_string_reference(the_string):
    print('got', the_string)
    the_string = 'In a kingdom by the sea'
    print('set to', the_string)
outer_string = 'It was many and many a year ago'
print('before, outer_string =', outer_string)
try_to_change_string_reference(outer_string)
print('after, outer_string =', outer_string)

输出如下:

before, outer_string = It was many and many a year ago
got It was many and many a year ago
set to In a kingdom by the sea
after, outer_string = It was many and many a year ago

不管怎样修改函数内部的string, 外部string不受影响。

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[1]https://stackoverflow.com/questions/534375/passing-values-in-python
[2]https://stackoverflow.com/questions/986006/how-do-i-pass-a-variable-by-reference