Python min() function returns the smallest of the value or smallest item in an iterable passed as its parameter. There are two types of min function –
- min() functions with objects
- min() functions with an iterable
min() functions with objects
Unlike the min() function of C/C++, the min() function in Python can take any type of object and returns the smallest among them. In the case of strings, it returns the lexicographically smallest value.
Syntax: min(a, b, c, …, key=func)
Parameters:
a, b, c, .. : similar type of data.
key: A function to customize the sort order
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # working of min() # printing the minimum of # 4, 12, 43.3, 19, 100 print(min(4, 12, 43.3, 19, 100)) # printing the minimum of # a, b, c, d, e print(min('a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e')) |
Output:
4 a
Customizing the sort order
To customize the sort order key parameter is passed in the min() function.
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # working of min() # find the string with minimum # length s = min("GfG", "Geeks", "GeeksWorld", key = len) print(s) |
Output:
GfG
Exception Raised
min() functions throw TypeError when conflicting data types are compared.
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # Exception of min() # printing the minimum of 4, 12, 43.3, 19, # "GeeksforGeeks" Throws Exception print(min(4, 12, 43.3, 19, "GeeksforGeeks")) |
Output:
TypeError: unorderable types: str() < int()
min() functions with an iterable
When an iterable is passed to the min function it returns the smallest item of the iterable.
Syntax: min(iterable, default = obj, key = func)
Parameters:
iterable: An iterable like list, tuple, string
default: Default value that is returned when the iterable is empty
key: A function to customize the sort order
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # working of min() # printing the minimum of [4, 12, 43.3, 19] print(min([4, 12, 43.3, 19])) # printing the minimum of "GeeksforGeeks" print(min("GeeksforGeeks")) # printing the minimum of ("A", "b", "C") print(min(("A", "a", "C"))) |
Output:
4 G A
Customizing the sort order
As seen above, to customize the sort order key parameter is passed in the min() function.
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # working of min() d = {1: "c", 2: "b", 3: "a"} # printing the minimum key of # dictionary print(min(d)) # printing the key with minimum # value in dictionary print(min(d, key = lambda k: d[k])) |
Output:
1 3
Exception Raised
ValueError is raised when an empty iterable is passed without the default argument
Example:
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate the # Exception of min() L = [] # printing the minimum empty list print(min(L)) |
Output:
ValueError: min() arg is an empty sequence
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