We Keep Coding

What is difference between initializing a variable as global and declaring a variable as None in Python

variable= 0
def func():
global variable #(or variable = None)
variable = 1
def display():
print(variable)
func()
display()
What is the difference between "global variable" or "variable = None" ?

I think the major difference is that declaring global will open it's scope to all the functions.
But declaring it as None will just initialize an uninitialized variable and creating a new local variable.

The default scope of a variable inside a function will be local. So, when you assign variable = None, you are creating a local variable and assigning none to it. Whereas, if you declare it as global, you'll be modifying the global variable that you initialized earlier.

In python, any global variables initialized outside a function is accessible inside a function. However this access is automatic only if you are using it as a read only variable.
If you assign to the same name inside a function, a new variable of local scope is created. The global keyword tells python that you don't want a local instance, but would like to modify the global variable outside.
So in your example func() modifies the global variable and the same variable is accessible from display() in read only mode even without the global keyword. However if you assign None to the variable in func() without global keyword, you are creating a new local variable. Hence in display() you will see the unmodified global variable.

Accessing global variable in local environment

Consider this code:
Var='global'
def func():
Var='local'
#global Var
print Var
I'm trying to print the global variable even though I have a local variable with the same name.
However, when I use the keyword global, it gives me an error.
Is there a way to do this?
I would also appreciate an explanation of why global gives an error.

Use globals() which is a built-in function. From documentation for globals():
Return a dictionary representing the current global symbol table. This is always the dictionary of the current module (inside a function or method, this is the module where it is defined, not the module from which it is called).
Var='global'
def func():
Var='local'
print(globals()['Var'])
Reply to your comment:
First try this:
Var='global'
def func():
Var='local'
global Var
Var = 'Global'
print(Var)
func()
print(Var)
Amazed? What's going on here is that Python assumes that any variable name that is assigned to, within a function, is local to that function unless explicitly told otherwise. If it is only reading from a name, and the name doesn't exist locally, it will try to look up the name in any containing scopes (e.g. the module's global scope). In your case there is a local variable Var with the same name as the global Var, so the global variable is shadowed. Since Var exists locally, it does not need to be looked up in any containing scopes, and thus the local variable is used. However, when you change the value of Var (using global Var statement) Python uses the global variable, which can be seen by printing global Var in the global scope. As a matter of fact, the global keyword is actually used to modify a global variable from any local sub-scope. See here. Hope it is clear!
P.S.: I gathered the knowledge from Jeff Shannon's answer.

Are Global variables ok in this scope? [duplicate]

From my understanding, Python has a separate namespace for functions, so if I want to use a global variable in a function, I should probably use global.
However, I was able to access a global variable even without global:
>>> sub = ['0', '0', '0', '0']
>>> def getJoin():
... return '.'.join(sub)
...
>>> getJoin()
'0.0.0.0'
Why does this work?
See also UnboundLocalError on local variable when reassigned after first use for the error that occurs when attempting to assign to the global variable without global. See Using global variables in a function for the general question of how to use globals.

The keyword global is only useful to change or create global variables in a local context, although creating global variables is seldom considered a good solution.
def bob():
me = "locally defined" # Defined only in local context
print(me)
bob()
print(me) # Asking for a global variable
The above will give you:
locally defined
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "file.py", line 9, in <module>
print(me)
NameError: name 'me' is not defined
While if you use the global statement, the variable will become available "outside" the scope of the function, effectively becoming a global variable.
def bob():
global me
me = "locally defined" # Defined locally but declared as global
print(me)
bob()
print(me) # Asking for a global variable
So the above code will give you:
locally defined
locally defined
In addition, due to the nature of python, you could also use global to declare functions, classes or other objects in a local context. Although I would advise against it since it causes nightmares if something goes wrong or needs debugging.

While you can access global variables without the global keyword, if you want to modify them you have to use the global keyword. For example:
foo = 1
def test():
foo = 2 # new local foo
def blub():
global foo
foo = 3 # changes the value of the global foo
In your case, you're just accessing the list sub.

This is the difference between accessing the name and binding it within a scope.
If you're just looking up a variable to read its value, you've got access to global as well as local scope.
However if you assign to a variable who's name isn't in local scope, you are binding that name into this scope (and if that name also exists as a global, you'll hide that).
If you want to be able to assign to the global name, you need to tell the parser to use the global name rather than bind a new local name - which is what the 'global' keyword does.
Binding anywhere within a block causes the name everywhere in that block to become bound, which can cause some rather odd looking consequences (e.g. UnboundLocalError suddenly appearing in previously working code).
>>> a = 1
>>> def p():
print(a) # accessing global scope, no binding going on
>>> def q():
a = 3 # binding a name in local scope - hiding global
print(a)
>>> def r():
print(a) # fail - a is bound to local scope, but not assigned yet
a = 4
>>> p()
1
>>> q()
3
>>> r()
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#35>", line 1, in <module>
r()
File "<pyshell#32>", line 2, in r
print(a) # fail - a is bound to local scope, but not assigned yet
UnboundLocalError: local variable 'a' referenced before assignment
>>>

The other answers answer your question. Another important thing to know about names in Python is that they are either local or global on a per-scope basis.
Consider this, for example:
value = 42
def doit():
print value
value = 0
doit()
print value
You can probably guess that the value = 0 statement will be assigning to a local variable and not affect the value of the same variable declared outside the doit() function. You may be more surprised to discover that the code above won't run. The statement print value inside the function produces an UnboundLocalError.
The reason is that Python has noticed that, elsewhere in the function, you assign the name value, and also value is nowhere declared global. That makes it a local variable. But when you try to print it, the local name hasn't been defined yet. Python in this case does not fall back to looking for the name as a global variable, as some other languages do. Essentially, you cannot access a global variable if you have defined a local variable of the same name anywhere in the function.

Accessing a name and assigning a name are different. In your case, you are just accessing a name.
If you assign to a variable within a function, that variable is assumed to be local unless you declare it global. In the absence of that, it is assumed to be global.
>>> x = 1 # global
>>> def foo():
print x # accessing it, it is global
>>> foo()
1
>>> def foo():
x = 2 # local x
print x
>>> x # global x
1
>>> foo() # prints local x
2

You can access global keywords without keyword global
To be able to modify them you need to explicitly state that the keyword is global. Otherwise, the keyword will be declared in local scope.
Example:
words = [...]
def contains (word):
global words # <- not really needed
return (word in words)
def add (word):
global words # must specify that we're working with a global keyword
if word not in words:
words += [word]

This is explained well in the Python FAQ
What are the rules for local and global variables in Python?
In Python, variables that are only referenced inside a function are implicitly global. If a variable is assigned a value anywhere within the function’s body, it’s assumed to be a local unless explicitly declared as global.
Though a bit surprising at first, a moment’s consideration explains this. On one hand, requiring global for assigned variables provides a bar against unintended side-effects. On the other hand, if global was required for all global references, you’d be using global all the time. You’d have to declare as global every reference to a built-in function or to a component of an imported module. This clutter would defeat the usefulness of the global declaration for identifying side-effects.
https://docs.python.org/3/faq/programming.html#what-are-the-rules-for-local-and-global-variables-in-python

Any variable declared outside of a function is assumed to be global, it's only when declaring them from inside of functions (except constructors) that you must specify that the variable be global.

global makes the variable visible to everything in the module, the modular scope, just as if you had defined it at top-level in the module itself. It's not visible outside the module, and it cannot be imported from the module until after it has been set, so don't bother, that's not what it is for.
When does global solve real problems? (Note: Checked only on Python 3.)
# Attempt #1, will fail
# We cannot import ``catbus`` here
# as that would lead to an import loop somewhere else,
# or importing ``catbus`` is so expensive that you don't want to
# do it automatically when importing this module
top_level_something_or_other = None
def foo1():
import catbus
# Now ``catbus`` is visible for anything else defined inside ``foo()``
# at *compile time*
bar() # But ``bar()`` is a call, not a definition. ``catbus``
# is invisible to it.
def bar():
# `bar()` sees what is defined in the module
# This works:
print(top_level_something_or_other)
# This doesn't work, we get an exception: NameError: name 'catbus' is not defined
catbus.run()
This can be fixed with global:
# Attempt #2, will work
# We still cannot import ``catbus`` here
# as that would lead to an import loop somewhere else,
# or importing ``catbus`` is so expensive that you don't want to
# do it automatically when importing this module
top_level_something_or_other = None
def foo2():
import catbus
global catbus # Now catbus is also visible to anything defined
# in the top-level module *at runtime*
bar()
def bar():
# `bar` sees what is defined in the module and when run what is available at run time
# This still works:
print(top_level_something_or_other)
# This also works now:
catbus.run()
This wouldn't be necessary if bar() was defined inside foo like so:
# Attempt 3, will work
# We cannot import ``catbus`` here
# as that would lead to an import loop somewhere else,
# or importing ``catbus`` is so expensive that you don't want to
# do it automatically when importing this module
top_level_something_or_other = None
def foo3():
def bar():
# ``bar()`` sees what is defined in the module *and* what is defined in ``foo()``
print(top_level_something_or_other)
catbus.run()
import catbus
# Now catbus is visible for anything else defined inside foo() at *compile time*
bar() # Which now includes bar(), so this works
By defining bar() outside of foo(), bar() can be imported into something that can import catbus directly, or mock it, like in a unit test.
global is a code smell, but sometimes what you need is exactly a dirty hack like global. Anyway, "global" is a bad name for it as there is no such thing as global scope in python, it's modules all the way down.

It means that you should not do the following:
x = 1
def myfunc():
global x
# formal parameter
def localfunction(x):
return x+1
# import statement
import os.path as x
# for loop control target
for x in range(10):
print x
# class definition
class x(object):
def __init__(self):
pass
#function definition
def x():
print "I'm bad"

Global makes the variable "Global"
def out():
global x
x = 1
print(x)
return
out()
print (x)
This makes 'x' act like a normal variable outside the function. If you took the global out then it would give an error since it cannot print a variable inside a function.
def out():
# Taking out the global will give you an error since the variable x is no longer 'global' or in other words: accessible for other commands
x = 1
print(x)
return
out()
print (x)

Global variable changed by multiple functions - how to declare in Python

I am using some variable in multiple functions.
This includes changing the variable values by each of those functions.
I already declared the variable as 'global' in the first function.
Should I declare this variable again and again as global in each function (and this will not overwrite the first global variable I declared in the first function) or I should not declare it again as global in all those functions (but the local variables there still will be seen as global since I already declared this variable so first time)?

You can declare a variable as global in each function definition. Here's an example:
def f():
global x
x = 2
print x
x +=2
# This will assign a new value to the global variable x
def g():
global x
print x
x += 3
# This will assign a new value to the global variable x
f()
# Prints 2
g()
# Prints 4
print x
# Prints 7

The global keyword tells the parser per function that a name shouldn't be treated as a local when assigned to.
Normally any name you bind in a function (assign to, use as a function argument, use in an import statement in the function body, etc.) is seen by the parser as a local.
By using the global keyword, the parser will instead generate bytecode that'll look for a global name instead. If you have multiple functions that assign to the global, you'll need to declare that name global in all those functions. They'll then look up the name in the global namespace instead.
See the global statement documentation:
The global statement is a declaration which holds for the entire current code block. It means that the listed identifiers are to be interpreted as globals.
and the Naming and Binding documentation:
If a name is bound in a block, it is a local variable of that block. If a name is bound at the module level, it is a global variable. (The variables of the module code block are local and global.) If a variable is used in a code block but not defined there, it is a free variable.

Should I declare this variable again and again as global in each function
You should not have any global variables at all, and put these variables and functions into a class.

Python : Why is it said that variables that are only referenced are implicitly global?

From the Python FAQ, we can read :
In Python, variables that are only referenced inside a function are implicitly global
And from the Python Tutorial on defining functions, we can read :
The execution of a function introduces a new symbol table used for the local variables of the function. More precisely, all variable assignments in a function store the value in the local symbol table; whereas variable references first look in the local symbol table, then in the local symbol tables of enclosing functions, then in the global symbol table, and finally in the table of built-in names
Now I perfectly understand the tutorial statements, but then saying that variables that are only referenced inside a function are implicitly global seems pretty vague to me.
Why saying that they are implicitly global if we actually start looking at the local symbol tables, and then follow with the more 'general' ones? Is it just a way of saying that if you're only going to reference a variable within a function, you don't need to worry if it's either local or global?

Examples
(See further down for a summary)
What this means is that if a variable is never assigned to in a function's body, then it will be treated as global.
This explains why the following works (a is treated as global):
a = 1
def fn():
print a # This is "referencing a variable" == "reading its value"
# Prints: 1
However, if the variable is assigned to somewhere in the function's body, then it will be treated as local for the entire function body .
This includes statements that are found before it is assigned to (see the example below).
This explains why the following does not work. Here, a is treated as local,
a = 1
def fn():
print a
a = 2 # <<< We're adding this
fn()
# Throws: UnboundLocalError: local variable 'a' referenced before assignment
You can have Python treat a variable as global with the statement global a. If you do so, then the variable will be treated as global, again for the entire function body.
a = 1
def fn():
global a # <<< We're adding this
print a
a = 2
fn()
print a
# Prints: 1
# Then, prints: 2 (a changed in the global scope too)
Summary
Unlike what you might expect, Python will not fall back to the global scope it if fails to find a in the local scope.
This means that a variable is either local or global for the entire function body: it can't be global and then become local.
Now, as to whether a variable is treated as local or global, Python follows the following rule. Variables are:
Global if only referenced and never assigned to
Global if the global statement is used
Local if the variable is assigned to at least once (and global was not used)
Further notes
In fact, "implicitly global" doesn't really mean global. Here's a better way to think about it:
"local" means "somewhere inside the function"
"global" really means "somewhere outside the function"
So, if a variable is "implicitly global" (== "outside the function"), then its "enclosing scope" will be looked up first:
a = 25
def enclosing():
a = 2
def enclosed():
print a
enclosed()
enclosing()
# Prints 2, as supplied in the enclosing scope, instead of 25 (found in the global scope)
Now, as usual, global lets you reference the global scope.
a = 25
def enclosing():
a = 2
def enclosed():
global a # <<< We're adding this
print a
enclosed()
enclosing()
# Prints 25, as supplied in the global scope
Now, if you needed to assign to a in enclosed, and wanted a's value to be changed in enclosing's scope, but not in the global scope, then you would need nonlocal, which is new in Python 3. In Python 2, you can't.

Python’s name-resolution scheme is sometimes called the LEGB rule, after the scope
names.
When you use an unqualified name inside a function, Python searches up to four
scopes—the local (L) scope, then the local scopes of any enclosing (E) defs and
lambdas, then the global (G) scope, and then the built-in (B) scope—and stops at
the first place the name is found. If the name is not found during this search, Python
reports an error.
Name assignments create or change local names by default.
Name references search at most four scopes: local, then enclosing
functions (if any), then global, then built-in.
Names declared in global and nonlocal statements map assigned names
to enclosing module and function scopes, respectively.
In other words, all names assigned inside a function def statement (or a lambda) are locals by default. Functions can freely use names assigned
in syntactically enclosing functions and the global scope, but they must declare
such nonlocals and globals in order to change them.
Reference: http://goo.gl/woLW0F

This is confusing and the documentation could stand to be more clear.
"referenced" in this context means that a name is not assigned to but simply read from. So for instance while a = 1 is assignment to a, print(a) (Python 3 syntax) is referencing a without any assignment.
If you reference a as above without any assignment, then the Python interpreter searches the parent namespace of the current namespace, recursively until it reaches the global namespace.
On the other hand, if you assign to a variable, that variable is only defined inside the local namespace unless declared otherwise with the global keyword. So a = 1 creates a new name, a, inside the local namespace. This takes precedence over any other variable named a in higher namespaces.

Unlike some other languages, Python does not look up a variable name in a local symbol table and then fall back to looking for it in a larger scope if it's not found there. Variables are determined to be local at compile time, not at runtime, by being assigned to (including being passed in as a parameter). Any name that is not assigned to (and not explicitly declared global) is considered global and will only be looked for in the global namespace. This allows Python to optimize local variable access (using the LOAD_FAST bytecode), which is why locals are faster.
There are some wrinkles involving closures (and in Python 3, nonlocal) but that's the general case.