How to get a function name as a string?

python string function
X10 picture X10 · Oct 30, 2008 · Viewed 548.6k times · Source

In Python, how do I get a function name as a string, without calling the function?

def my_function():
    pass

print get_function_name_as_string(my_function) # my_function is not in quotes

should output "my_function".

Is such function available in Python? If not, any ideas on how to implement get_function_name_as_string, in Python?

Answer

user28409 picture user28409 · Nov 1, 2008 
my_function.__name__

Using __name__ is the preferred method as it applies uniformly. Unlike func_name, it works on built-in functions as well:

>>> import time
>>> time.time.func_name
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
AttributeError: 'builtin_function_or_method' object has no attribute 'func_name'
>>> time.time.__name__ 
'time'

Also the double underscores indicate to the reader this is a special attribute. As a bonus, classes and modules have a __name__ attribute too, so you only have remember one special name.

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