Add supporting code for Python Optional Arguments tutorial

python-optional-arguments/README.md

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+# Using Python Optional Arguments When Defining Functions
+
+This folder contains accompanying code to the Real Python tutorial on [Using Python Optional Arguments When Defining Functions](https://realpython.com/python-optional-arguments/).
+
+You can read each file and its comments, and run the files to see the code's output.

python-optional-arguments/mutable_default_bug.py

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+"""
+Demonstrates why using a mutable default (like {}) is a bad idea.
+
+This mirrors the tutorial's buggy example so you can reproduce the issue.
+Run this file directly to see both variables share the same underlying dict.
+"""
+
+
+def add_item(item_name, quantity, shopping_list={}):
+    # BAD: the default dict is created once and reused
+    if item_name in shopping_list:
+        shopping_list[item_name] += quantity
+    else:
+        shopping_list[item_name] = quantity
+    return shopping_list
+
+
+clothes_shop_list = add_item("Shirt", 3)  # Uses the shared default dict
+electronics_store_list = add_item("USB cable", 1)  # Same shared dict!
+
+print("clothes_shop_list:")
+for k, v in clothes_shop_list.items():
+    print(f"{v}x {k}")
+
+print("\nelectronics_store_list:")
+for k, v in electronics_store_list.items():
+    print(f"{v}x {k}")
+
+print(
+    "\nNote how both lists contain the same combined items "
+    "due to the shared default."
+)

python-optional-arguments/optional_params.py

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+"""
+Optional arguments in Python — consolidated, runnable examples.
+
+This module collects the tutorial's final, good-practice implementations:
+
+- show_list(shopping_list, include_quantities=True)
+- add_item(item_name, quantity, shopping_list=None)
+- add_items_args(shopping_list, *item_names)
+- add_items_kwargs(shopping_list, **things_to_buy)
+
+Run the module directly to see a short demo.
+"""
+
+
+def show_list(shopping_list, include_quantities=True):
+    for item_name, quantity in shopping_list.items():
+        if include_quantities:
+            print(f"{quantity}x {item_name}")
+        else:
+            print(item_name)
+    print()
+
+
+def add_item(item_name, quantity, shopping_list=None):
+    """Add (or increment) an item in a list using the safe 'None' default."""
+    if shopping_list is None:
+        shopping_list = {}
+    if item_name in shopping_list:
+        shopping_list[item_name] += quantity
+    else:
+        shopping_list[item_name] = quantity
+    return shopping_list
+
+
+def add_items_args(shopping_list, *item_names):
+    """Add any number of item names with default quantity 1 using *args."""
+    for item_name in item_names:
+        if item_name in shopping_list:
+            shopping_list[item_name] += 1
+        else:
+            shopping_list[item_name] = 1
+    return shopping_list
+
+
+def add_items_kwargs(shopping_list, **things_to_buy):
+    """Add any number of items with explicit quantities using **kwargs."""
+    for item_name, quantity in things_to_buy.items():
+        if item_name in shopping_list:
+            shopping_list[item_name] += quantity
+        else:
+            shopping_list[item_name] = quantity
+    return shopping_list
+
+
+# --- Using required + optional parameters (safe default pattern) ---
+hardware_store_list = {}
+hardware_store_list = add_item("Nails", 1, hardware_store_list)
+hardware_store_list = add_item("Screwdriver", 1, hardware_store_list)
+hardware_store_list = add_item("Glue", 3, hardware_store_list)
+
+supermarket_list = {}
+supermarket_list = add_item("Bread", 1, supermarket_list)
+supermarket_list = add_item("Milk", 2, supermarket_list)
+
+show_list(hardware_store_list)  # With quantities
+show_list(supermarket_list, False)  # Names only
+
+# Create new lists on the fly by omitting shopping_list
+clothes_shop_list = add_item(
+    "Shirt", 3
+)  # New dict created inside the function
+electronics_store_list = add_item("USB cable", 1)  # New dict created again
+show_list(clothes_shop_list)
+show_list(electronics_store_list)
+
+# --- Using *args to add many items at once (defaults quantity to 1) ---
+multi_add_list = {}
+multi_add_list = add_items_args(
+    multi_add_list, "Coffee", "Tea", "Cake", "Bread"
+)
+show_list(multi_add_list)
+
+# --- Using **kwargs to add items with explicit quantities ---
+kw_list = {}
+kw_list = add_items_kwargs(kw_list, coffee=1, tea=2, cake=1, bread=3)
+show_list(kw_list)

python-optional-arguments/unpacking_demo.py

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+"""
+Unpacking operator demo to support the *args discussion.
+"""
+
+some_items = ["Coffee", "Tea", "Cake", "Bread"]
+
+print("Passing the list as a single argument:")
+print(some_items)  # -> ['Coffee', 'Tea', 'Cake', 'Bread']
+
+print("\nUnpacking the list with *some_items:")
+print(*some_items)  # -> Coffee Tea Cake Bread