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Q&A Terms for types of functions with respect to side effects

I don't think there are any formal names for the various versions you list. First of all, please note that output in a programming context most often refers to printing something on a screen or to...

posted 1y ago by Lundin‭ · edited 1y ago by Lundin‭

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#2: Post edited by

Lundin‭ · 2023-08-10T11:53:26Z (over 1 year ago)

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I don't think there are any formal names for the various versions you list.
First of all, please note that _output_ in a programming context most often refers to printing something on a screen or to a file, or updating graphics. "Function output" is not a common programming term - almost every language instead terms such function _return value_ or perhaps "result".
That being said, some semi-formal, widely accepted "language-agnostic" terms do exist:
- _Procedure_ or _subroutine_ often refers to functions which do not return anything. I think this might originate from Pascal and/or Ada. [C family languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C-family_programming_languages) tend _not_ to use either of these terms but call everything functions.
- _Re-entrant_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a multi-thread program, because it has no side effects.
- _Thread-safe_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a mult-thread program. It has side effects, but those are guarded with semaphore/mutex or similar.
- _Member function_ or _method_ is something that interacts with a given object. It may have side effects, including updating the object data.
Many OO languages also support "read-only" member functions, which are guaranteed not to modify the current object (but may contain other side effects). _Immutable objects_ is another common term used for objects that are never modified after creation - and so a function taking an immutable object as parameter cannot/will not modify that object (but may contain other side effects).

I don't think there are any formal names for the various versions you list.
First of all, please note that _output_ in a programming context most often refers to printing something on a screen or to a file, or updating graphics. "Function output" is not a common programming term - almost every language instead terms such function _return value_ or perhaps "result".
That being said, some semi-formal, widely accepted "language-agnostic" terms do exist:
- _Procedure_ or _subroutine_ often refers to functions which do not return anything. I think this might originate from Pascal and/or Ada. [C family languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C-family_programming_languages) tend _not_ to use either of these terms but call everything functions.
- _Re-entrant_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a multi-thread program, because it has no side effects.
- _Thread-safe_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a mult-thread program. It has side effects, but those are guarded with semaphore/mutex or similar.
- _No-op_ is often used informally to describe functions which do not perform anything and have no side effects. Likely originating from the common assembler `nop` instruction (no operation, do nothing).
- _Member function_ or _method_ is something that interacts with a given object. It may have side effects, including updating the object data.
Many OO languages also support "read-only" member functions, which are guaranteed not to modify the current object (but may contain other side effects). _Immutable objects_ is another common term used for objects that are never modified after creation - and so a function taking an immutable object as parameter cannot/will not modify that object (but may contain other side effects).

#1: Initial revision by

Lundin‭ · 2023-08-10T11:49:08Z (over 1 year ago)

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I don't think there are any formal names for the various versions you list. 

First of all, please note that _output_ in a programming context most often refers to printing something on a screen or to a file, or updating graphics. "Function output" is not a common programming term - almost every language instead terms such function _return value_ or perhaps "result". 

That being said, some semi-formal, widely accepted "language-agnostic" terms do exist:

- _Procedure_ or _subroutine_ often refers to functions which do not return anything. I think this might originate from Pascal and/or Ada. [C family languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C-family_programming_languages) tend _not_ to use either of these terms but call everything functions.

- _Re-entrant_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a multi-thread program, because it has no side effects.

- _Thread-safe_ refers to a function which can be safely used in a mult-thread program. It has side effects, but those are guarded with semaphore/mutex or similar.

- _Member function_ or _method_ is something that interacts with a given object. It may have side effects, including updating the object data.

Many OO languages also support "read-only" member functions, which are guaranteed not to modify the current object (but may contain other side effects). _Immutable objects_ is another common term used for objects that are never modified after creation - and so a function taking an immutable object as parameter cannot/will not modify that object (but may contain other side effects).

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