What are some common uses for Python decorators?

python decorator
Dana picture Dana · Jan 28, 2009 · Viewed 71.5k times · Source

While I like to think of myself as a reasonably competent Python coder, one aspect of the language I've never been able to grok is decorators.

I know what they are (superficially), I've read tutorials, examples, questions on Stack Overflow, and I understand the syntax, can write my own, occasionally use @classmethod and @staticmethod, but it never occurs to me to use a decorator to solve a problem in my own Python code. I never encounter a problem where I think, "Hmm...this looks like a job for a decorator!"

So, I'm wondering if you guys might offer some examples of where you've used decorators in your own programs, and hopefully I'll have an "A-ha!" moment and get them.

Answer

RSabet picture RSabet · Jan 29, 2009

I use decorators mainly for timing purposes

def time_dec(func):

  def wrapper(*arg):
      t = time.clock()
      res = func(*arg)
      print func.func_name, time.clock()-t
      return res

  return wrapper


@time_dec
def myFunction(n):
    ...

Related questions

How does the @property decorator work in Python?

I would like to understand how the built-in function property works. What confuses me is that property can also be used as a decorator, but it only takes arguments when used as a built-in function and not when used as …

Read More
How to make function decorators and chain them together?

How can I make two decorators in Python that would do the following? @makebold @makeitalic def say(): return "Hello" ...which should return: "<b><i>Hello</i></b>" I'm not trying to make …

Read More
Creating a singleton in Python

This question is not for the discussion of whether or not the singleton design pattern is desirable, is an anti-pattern, or for any religious wars, but to discuss how this pattern is best implemented in Python in such a way …

Read More