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/Function Basics: Parameter, Arguments, and Returning Values
Function Basics: Parameter, Arguments, and Returning Values
Learn about the difference between parameters and arguments in functions and explore writing a function that returns a value by creating a tax calculation application in C#.
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Most developers will use the terms argument and parameter interchangeably in daily usage. Strictly speaking, the two terms have specific and subtly different meanings. But just like a person can be both a parent and a doctor, the terms often apply to the same thing.
Parameter and arguments
A parameter is a variable in a function definition. For example, startDate is a parameter of the Hire function, as shown in the following code:
void Hire(DateTime startDate){// implementation}
When a method is called, an argument is the data we pass into the method’s parameters. For example, when is a variable passed as an argument to the Hire function, as shown in the following code:
DateTime when = new(year: 2022, month: 11, day: 8);Hire(when);
Example
We might prefer to specify the parameter name when passing the argument, as shown in the following code:
DateTime when = new(year: 2022, month: 11, day: 8);Hire(startDate: when);
When talking about the call to the Hire function, startDate is the parameter, and when is the argument.
Note: The official Microsoft documentation uses the phrases “named and optional arguments” and “named and optional parameters” interchangeably. We can read more about it. ...