A guarded function is a type of smart contract feature that restricts who can call certain functions within the contract. This is crucial for maintaining security and ensuring that only authorized users can execute potentially sensitive operations.In a smart contract, different functions may have varying levels of risk associated with them. For example, functions that manage funds or alter critical state variables need to be protected to prevent unauthorized access or exploitation.By implementing a guarded function, developers can set specific conditions, like requiring a particular user or a group of users to have permission to execute a function. This is often achieved using access control mechanisms, such as role-based permissions, which can limit functionality to certain addresses or roles within the contract.Overall, guarded functions help enhance the security and integrity of smart contracts by controlling access and minimizing the risks of malicious attacks or unintended actions. This adds a layer of protection that is essential for the reliability of blockchain applications.