A pure function is a function that does not modify any of the objects passed to it as arguments and has no side effects other than returning a value.

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SUPPORTED

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4 sources for · 0 against

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Is it true that a pure function is a function that does not modify any of the objects passed to it as arguments and has no side effects other than returning a value?

Yes. A pure function is widely defined in computer science as a function that causes no side effects and does not mutate its arguments, relying solely on its return value.

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 4 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 4 Oct 2026

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Evidence for · 4

Wikipedia: Pure function

Reference article covering this claim directly

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Wikipedia: Pure function. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_function

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Wikipedia: Wikipedia: Pure function

Reiterates that pure functions have no side effects and no mutation of mutable reference arguments.

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Wikipedia: Wikipedia: Pure function. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_function

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More for · 3

PLOS (all journals): Quantum++: A modern C++ quantum computing library

Notes that functions from functional programming do not mutate arguments and have no side effects.

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PLOS (all journals): Quantum++: A modern C++ quantum computing library. (n.d.). PLOS (all journals). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208073

LibreTexts: LibreTexts: 16.02: Pure functions

Defines a pure function explicitly as not modifying passed arguments and having no other effects than returning a value.

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LibreTexts: LibreTexts: 16.02%3A Pure functions. (n.d.). LibreTexts. https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Computer_Science/Programming_Languages/Think_Python_2e_(Downey)/16%3A_Classes_and_functions/16.02%3A_Pure_functions

Wikibooks: Wikibooks: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python 2nd Edition/Lists

Explains that a pure function does not produce side effects and communicates without modifying parameters.

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Wikibooks: Wikibooks: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python 2nd Edition/Lists. (n.d.). Wikibooks. https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_to_Think_Like_a_Computer_Scientist:_Learning_with_Python_2nd_Edition/Lists

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