python - What is the difference between pandas agg and apply function?

Question

I can't figure out the difference between Pandas .aggregate and .apply functions.
Take the following as an example: I load a dataset, do a groupby, define a simple function, and either user .agg or .apply.

As you may see, the printing statement within my function results in the same output after using .agg and .apply. The result, on the other hand is different. Why is that?

import pandas
import pandas as pd
iris = pd.read_csv('iris.csv')
by_species = iris.groupby('Species')
def f(x):
    ...:     print type(x)
    ...:     print x.head(3)
    ...:     return 1

Using apply:

by_species.apply(f)
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#   Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width Species
#0           5.1          3.5           1.4          0.2  setosa
#1           4.9          3.0           1.4          0.2  setosa
#2           4.7          3.2           1.3          0.2  setosa
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#   Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width Species
#0           5.1          3.5           1.4          0.2  setosa
#1           4.9          3.0           1.4          0.2  setosa
#2           4.7          3.2           1.3          0.2  setosa
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#    Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width     Species
#50           7.0          3.2           4.7          1.4  versicolor
#51           6.4          3.2           4.5          1.5  versicolor
#52           6.9          3.1           4.9          1.5  versicolor
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#     Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width    Species
#100           6.3          3.3           6.0          2.5  virginica
#101           5.8          2.7           5.1          1.9  virginica
#102           7.1          3.0           5.9          2.1  virginica
#Out[33]: 
#Species
#setosa        1
#versicolor    1
#virginica     1
#dtype: int64

Using agg

by_species.agg(f)
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#   Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width Species
#0           5.1          3.5           1.4          0.2  setosa
#1           4.9          3.0           1.4          0.2  setosa
#2           4.7          3.2           1.3          0.2  setosa
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#    Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width     Species
#50           7.0          3.2           4.7          1.4  versicolor
#51           6.4          3.2           4.5          1.5  versicolor
#52           6.9          3.1           4.9          1.5  versicolor
#<class 'pandas.core.frame.DataFrame'>
#     Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width    Species
#100           6.3          3.3           6.0          2.5  virginica
#101           5.8          2.7           5.1          1.9  virginica
#102           7.1          3.0           5.9          2.1  virginica
#Out[34]: 
#           Sepal.Length  Sepal.Width  Petal.Length  Petal.Width
#Species                                                         
#setosa                 1            1             1            1
#versicolor             1            1             1            1
#virginica              1            1             1            1

Answer 1

apply関数を各グループ (あなたのSpecies) に適用します。関数は 1 を返すため、3 つのグループのそれぞれに 1 つの値が返されます。

agg各グループの各列 (機能)を集計するため、グループごとに列ごとに 1 つの値になります。

groupbyドキュメントを読んでください。非常に役に立ちます。また、ウェブ上にはたくさんのチュートリアルが浮かんでいます。