Recommended way to initialize variable in if block
<p>I have the following code (minus some other operations):</p>

<pre><code>def foobar():
    msg=None
    if foo:
        msg='foo'
    else:
        msg='bar'
    return msg
</code></pre>

<p>Is the following better practice for the <code>msg</code> variable? </p>

<pre><code>def foobar():
    if foo:
       msg='foo'
    else:
       msg='bar'
    return msg
</code></pre>

<p>I'm aware that I could simplify the above functions to ternary expressions, however there are operations in each if-else block that I've left out.</p>
