In computer programming, a pure function is a function that has the following properties:
- the function return values are identical for identical arguments (no variation with local static variables, non-local variables, mutable reference arguments or input streams), and
- the function application has no side effects (no mutation of local static variables, non-local variables, mutable reference arguments or input/output streams).
Thus a pure function is a computational analogue of a mathematical function. Some authors, particularly from the imperative language community, use the term “pure” for all functions that just have the above property 2.
“Pure Function.” 2022. Wikipedia, January. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pure_function&oldid=1065003790.