Why Does My Python Function Print 'None' Despite Printing a String Inside?

Why Does This Code Print "None" in the Output?

In the provided code:

def lyrics():
    print("The very first line")

print(lyrics())

the issue lies in the number of print statements within the function and outside the function.

Reason for "None" Output:

In Python, when a function is called but does not explicitly return a value, it implicitly returns None. In this code, the lyrics() function calls print("The very first line") but doesn't have any explicit return statement. Therefore, it implicitly returns None. Meanwhile, the print statement outside the function prints the result of the function call, which is None.

Solution: Using the Return Statement

To resolve this, you can use the return statement to explicitly return a value from the function. Modifying the code to include a return statement, such as:

def lyrics():
    print("The very first line")
    return None

would return None correctly within the lyrics() function call, and the output would only include the printed string "The very first line."

Implications of Returning None Implicitly and Explicitly

Returning None implicitly can lead to unexpected behavior, especially when working with functions that combine printing and returning values. By explicitly returning None or different values as needed within functions, you can control the output and avoid confusion.

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