8.2 User-Defined Functions

Complicated awk programs can often be simplified by defining your own functions. User-defined functions can be called just like built-in ones (see Function Calls), but it is up to you to define them, i.e., to tell awk what they should do.

• Definition Syntax: How to write definitions and what they mean.
• Function Example: An example function definition and what it does.
• Function Caveats: Things to watch out for.
• Return Statement: Specifying the value a function returns.
• Dynamic Typing: How variable types can change at runtime.