Python’s globals() function returns a dictionary of name --> object mappings. The names are the ones defined globally, i.e., defined by Python or in the outside scope of your program. The objects are the values associated to these names. For example, if you set variable x = [1, 2, 3], the globals() dictionary will contain a name 'x' and an object reference to [1, 2, 3].
Related Tutorial: Namespaces Made Simple
Usage Examples
Learn by example! Here’s a formatted example of how to use the globals() built-in function:
>>> x = [1, 2, 3]
>>> globals()
{'__name__': '__main__',
'__doc__': None,
'__package__': None,
'__loader__': <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>,
'__spec__': None,
'__annotations__': {},
'__builtins__': <module 'builtins' (built-in)>,
'__file__': 'C:\\Users\\...\\code.py',
'x': [1, 2, 3]}You define a new variable named 'x' and set it to the list object [1, 2, 3]. This variable is defined on the global module level, not within a local function scope etc. If you call the globals() function, it gives you the dictionary of name --> object mappings. Among the mappings in the dictionary, you find the mapping 'x': [1, 2, 3].
You can also modify a global variable using the globals() dictionary:
>>> friend = 'Alice' >>> globals()['friend'] = 'Bob' >>> friend 'Bob'
This is useful if you want to modify some dynamic variables that you don’t yet know at programming time. For example, you want the user to give you a string of a variable to update. Your program only has the string, so the only way to update the associated global name is to use the globals() dictionary.
Video globals()
So, how does the syntax formally look like?
Syntax globals()
You use the globals() method without an argument.
Syntax:
globals() # Returns dictionary of name --> object pairs defined in your global scope.| Arguments | - | – |
| Return Value | dict | Returns the dictionary of (name –> object) mappings of all names you can use in your program. This includes the name you defined in the global scope (not within local scopes such as functions) and names defined by Python such as __name__. |
Python globals() Return Value
Returns the dictionary of (name –> object) mappings of all names you can use in your program. This includes the name you defined in the global scope (not within local scopes such as functions) and names defined by Python such as __name__.
g = globals() print(type(g)) # <class 'dict'>
Python globals() Interactive Shell Exercise
Let’s have a practical example how to use the globals() function in a real application that asks the user to type in any variable to check its current value:
Exercise: Run the code and find out as a user, the current selection of the variable age.
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Solution: The interactive exercise can be solved easily by typing in the string 'age'. Python will then retrieve the value associated to the name from the globals() dictionary and give you the defined age.
Summary
Python’s globals() function returns a dictionary of name --> object mappings.
- The names are the ones defined globally, i.e., defined by Python or in the outside scope of your program.
- The objects are the values associated to these names.
For example, if you set variable x = [1, 2, 3], the globals() dictionary will contain a name 'x' and an object reference to [1, 2, 3].
>>> x = [1, 2, 3]
>>> globals()
{'__name__': '__main__',
'__doc__': None,
'__package__': None,
'__loader__': <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>,
'__spec__': None,
'__annotations__': {},
'__builtins__': <module 'builtins' (built-in)>,
'__file__': 'C:\\Users\\...\\code.py',
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