Function assigned to a variable?

Question

def f(x):
    def g():
        x = 'abc'
        print ('x =', x)
    def h():
        z = x
        print ('z =', z)
    x = x + 1
    print ('x =', x)
    h()
    g()
    print ('x =', x)
    return g
x = 3
z = f(x)
z()

return value of f() is assigned to variable z when this happens it invokes function f() I understand so far but how does z() directly returns the value returned by f ? Could you explain this briefly ?

Answer 1

You have effectively created a pointer (in variable z) to the function f(x). Calling z() therefore calls f(x). Because f(x) returns g, z() will also return g, as calling z() executes f(x).