>>> def print_keyword_args(**kwargs):
...     # kwargs is a dict of the keyword args passed to the function
...     for key, value in kwargs.iteritems():
...         print "%s = %s" % (key, value)
...
>>> print_keyword_args(first_name="John", last_name="Doe")
first_name = John
last_name = Doe

>>> kwargs = {'first_name': 'Bobby', 'last_name': 'Smith'}
>>> print_keyword_args(**kwargs)
first_name = Bobby
last_name = Smith

func(a=1, b=2, c=3)

args = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c':3}
func(**args)

args = {'name': person.name}
if hasattr(person, "address"):
    args["address"] = person.address
func(**args)  # either expanded to func(name=person.name) or
              #                    func(name=person.name, address=person.address)

def setstyle(**styles):
    for key, value in styles.iteritems():      # styles is a regular dictionary
        setattr(someobject, key, value)

setstyle(color="red", bold=False)

def myDo(what, where, why):
   if what == 'swim':
      doSwim(where, why)
   elif what == 'walk':
      doWalk(where, why)
   ...

elif what == 'drive':
   doDrive(where, why, vehicle)

def myDo(what, where, why, **kwargs):
   if what == 'drive':
      doDrive(where, why, **kwargs)
   elif what == 'swim':
      doSwim(where, why, **kwargs)

def f(a = 0, *args, **kwargs):
    print("Received by f(a, *args, **kwargs)")
    print("=> f(a=%s, args=%s, kwargs=%s" % (a, args, kwargs))
    print("Calling g(10, 11, 12, *args, d = 13, e = 14, **kwargs)")
    g(10, 11, 12, *args, d = 13, e = 14, **kwargs)

def g(f, g = 0, *args, **kwargs):
    print("Received by g(f, g = 0, *args, **kwargs)")
    print("=> g(f=%s, g=%s, args=%s, kwargs=%s)" % (f, g, args, kwargs))

print("Calling f(1, 2, 3, 4, b = 5, c = 6)")
f(1, 2, 3, 4, b = 5, c = 6)

Calling f(1, 2, 3, 4, b = 5, c = 6)
Received by f(a, *args, **kwargs)
=> f(a=1, args=(2, 3, 4), kwargs={'c': 6, 'b': 5}
Calling g(10, 11, 12, *args, d = 13, e = 14, **kwargs)
Received by g(f, g = 0, *args, **kwargs)
=> g(f=10, g=11, args=(12, 2, 3, 4), kwargs={'c': 6, 'b': 5, 'e': 14, 'd': 13})

def args_kwargs_test(arg1, arg2, arg3):
    print "arg1:", arg1
    print "arg2:", arg2
    print "arg3:", arg3

#args can either be a "list" or "tuple"
>>> args = ("two", 3, 5)
>>> args_kwargs_test(*args)

#keyword argument "kwargs" has to be a dictionary
>>> kwargs = {"arg3":3, "arg2":'two', "arg1":5}
>>> args_kwargs_test(**kwargs)

def test(**kwargs):
    print kwargs['a']
    print kwargs['b']
    print kwargs['c']


args = { 'b': 2, 'c': 3}

test( a=1, **args )

1
2
3

def function1(param1,param2="arg2",param3="arg3"):
    print("n"+str(param1)+" "+str(param2)+" "+str(param3)+"n")

function1(1)                      #1 arg2 arg3   #1 positional arg
function1(param1=1)               #1 arg2 arg3   #1 named arg
function1(1,param2=2)             #1 2 arg3      #1 positional arg, 1 named arg
function1(param1=1,param2=2)      #1 2 arg3      #2 named args
function1(param2=2, param1=1)     #1 2 arg3      #2 named args out of order
function1(1, param3=3, param2=2)  #1 2 3         #

#function1()                      #invalid: required argument missing
#function1(param2=2,1)            #invalid: SyntaxError: non-keyword arg after keyword arg
#function1(1,param1=11)           #invalid: TypeError: function1() got multiple values for argument 'param1'
#function1(param4=4)              #invalid: TypeError: function1() got an unexpected keyword argument 'param4'

def function2(param1, *tupleParams, param2, param3, **dictionaryParams):
    print("param1: "+ param1)
    print("param2: "+ param2)
    print("param3: "+ param3)
    print("custom tuple params","-"*10)
    for p in tupleParams:
        print(str(p) + ",")
    print("custom named params","-"*10)
    for k,v in dictionaryParams.items():
        print(str(k)+":"+str(v))

function2("arg1",
          "custom param1",
          "custom param2",
          "custom param3",
          param3="arg3",
          param2="arg2",
          customNamedParam1 = "val1",
          customNamedParam2 = "val2"
          )

# Output
#
#param1: arg1
#param2: arg2
#param3: arg3
#custom tuple params ----------
#custom param1,
#custom param2,
#custom param3,
#custom named params ----------
#customNamedParam2:val2
#customNamedParam1:val1

tupleCustomArgs = ("custom param1", "custom param2", "custom param3")
dictCustomNamedArgs = {"customNamedParam1":"val1", "customNamedParam2":"val2"}

function2("arg1",
      *tupleCustomArgs,    #note *
      param3="arg3",
      param2="arg2",
      **dictCustomNamedArgs     #note **
      )

function2("arg1",
      tupleCustomArgs,   #omitting *
      param3="arg3",
      param2="arg2",
      **dictCustomNamedArgs
      )

param1: arg1
param2: arg2
param3: arg3
custom tuple params ----------
('custom param1', 'custom param2', 'custom param3'),
custom named params ----------
customNamedParam2:val2
customNamedParam1:val1

function2("arg1",
      *tupleCustomArgs,
      param3="arg3",
      param2="arg2",
      dictCustomNamedArgs   #omitting **
      )

dictCustomNamedArgs
         ^
SyntaxError: non-keyword arg after keyword arg

def print_wrap(arg1, *args, **kwargs):
    print(arg1)
    print(args)
    print(kwargs)
    print(arg1, *args, **kwargs)

>>> print_wrap('one', 'two', 'three', end='blah', sep='--')
one
('two', 'three')
{'end': 'blah', 'sep': '--'}
one--two--threeblah

>>> print_wrap('blah', dead_arg='anything')
TypeError: 'dead_arg' is an invalid keyword argument for this function

#! /usr/bin/env python
#
def g( **kwargs) :
  print ( "In g ready to print kwargs" )
  print kwargs
  print ( "in g, calling f")
  f ( **kwargs )
  print ( "In g, after returning from f")

def f( **kwargs ) :
  print ( "in f, printing kwargs")
  print ( kwargs )
  print ( "In f, after printing kwargs")


g( a="red", b=5, c="Nassau")

g( q="purple", w="W", c="Charlie", d=[4, 3, 6] )

$ python kwargs_demo.py
In g ready to print kwargs
{'a': 'red', 'c': 'Nassau', 'b': 5}
in g, calling f
in f, printing kwargs
{'a': 'red', 'c': 'Nassau', 'b': 5}
In f, after printing kwargs
In g, after returning from f
In g ready to print kwargs
{'q': 'purple', 'c': 'Charlie', 'd': [4, 3, 6], 'w': 'W'}
in g, calling f
in f, printing kwargs
{'q': 'purple', 'c': 'Charlie', 'd': [4, 3, 6], 'w': 'W'}
In f, after printing kwargs
In g, after returning from f