Python: variable scope

README.md

Python's scope

Python's scope of variables should be intuitive, but for those that don't find it as such here's a quick example.

In the file below scope.py I create a dummy class Temp() which prints some debug text when its created and destroyed.

$ python scope.py
Initiating quick
Destroying quick
Initiating global
before scope
Initiating in-scope
Destroying in-scope
after scope
Destroying global

scope.py

# This class will show debug info when instantiated and destroyed
class Temp(object):

    def __init__(self, name):
        self._name = name
        print 'Initiating %s' % self._name

    def __del__(self):
        print 'Destroying %s' % self._name

# The following code will provide a good example of scope.

def scope():
    t = Temp('in-scope')

Temp('quick')  # Not assigned to a variable
t = Temp('global')  # Saved until further use
print 'before scope'
scope()
print 'after scope'