Callable object

A callable object, in computer programming, is any object that can be called like a function.

In different languages

In C++

• pointer to function;
• pointer to member function;
• functor;
• lambda expression.

std::function is a template class that can hold any callable object that matches its signature.

In C#

• delegate;
• lambda expression.

In PHP

PHP 5.3+ has first-class functions that can be used e.g. as parameter to the usort() function:

$a = array(3, 1, 4);
usort($a, function ($x, $y) { return $x - $y; });

It is also possible in PHP 5.3+ to make objects invokable by adding a magic __invoke() method to their class:

class Minus {
    public function __invoke($x, $y) { return $x - $y; }
}

$a = array(3, 1, 4);
usort($a, new Minus());

In Python

In Python any object with a __call__() method can be called using function-call syntax.

class Accumulator(object):
    def __init__(self, n):
        self.n = n

    def __call__(self, x):
        self.n += x
        return self.n

External links

• C++ Callable concept