Note

In English, the word synonym is used to describe different words that have hte same meaning. It can be useful to think of variables as being synonyms for a given object.

1. Many names for the same object

In a previous example, when talking about refinements, we got a solution for the world Around 4 that was as follows:

from library import turn_right

# We mark the starting point by putting down a token
put()

# We find a clear direction and start moving
while not front_is_clear():
    turn_left()
move()

'''  We know we will have gone around the world
when we come back to the place we put the token
down. ''''

while not object_here():
    if right_is_clear():  # keep to the right
        turn_right()
        move()
    elif front_is_clear():    # move ... following the right wall
        move()
    else:
        turn_left()  # follow the wall by turning left

Then, we define new functions to better describe the core of this solution, thus reducing the need to add comments. One of these functions, which is the only one we will retain as is, was the following:

def follow_right_wall():
    if right_is_clear():
        turn_right()
        move()
    elif front_is_clear():
        move()
    else:
        turn_left()

Important

Remember: comments are ignored by Python. It is therefore always preferable to write a program so that its intent is clear from the way the code itself is written.

Let us now use another way to combine this function with the rest of the program written in a clear way using variables. For exmple, instead of writing:

# We mark the starting point by putting down a token
put()

we write:

mark_starting_point = put
mark_starting_point()

Similarly, instead of writing:

# We find a clear direction and start moving
while not front_is_clear():
    turn_left()
move()

we write:

path_is_blocked = wall_in_front  # use this instead of "not front_is_clear"

while path_is_blocked:
    turn_left()

move()

Also, instead of writing:

'''  We know we will have gone around the world
when we come back to the place we put the token
down. ''''

while not object_here():
   ...

we write:

back_to_starting_point = object_here

while not back_to_starting_point():
    ...

So, let’s put all these changes together and rewrite our program, first by defining our new vocabulary (variables) and then using it:

from library import turn_right

mark_starting_point = put
path_is_blocked = wall_in_front
back_to_starting_point = object_here

def follow_right_wall():
    if right_is_clear():
        turn_right()
        move()
    elif front_is_clear():
        move()
    else:
        turn_left()

# end of definitions -- begin actual program

mark_starting_point()
while path_is_blocked():
    turn_left()
move()

while not back_to_starting_point():
    follow_right_wall()

Much fewer comments than before, yet the meaning of the program is still very clear. One significant advantage of using well chosen variables (names) instead of comments is that Python will execute the code but not the comment; so if the code is wrong, we will see it right away; if the comments are wrong, Python cannot tell us.