Python setattr()

Python’s built-in setattr(object, string, value) function takes three arguments: an object, a string, and an arbitrary value. It sets the attribute given by the string on the object to the specified value. After calling the function, there’s a new or updated attribute at the given instance, named and valued as provided in the arguments. For example, setattr(object, 'attribute', 42) is equivalent to object.attribute = 42.

Usage

Learn by example! Here’s an example on how to use the setattr() built-in function.

Create a Car object porsche with a new attribute speed and set it to the value 100:

# Define class with one attribute
class Car:
    None


# Create object
porsche = Car()
setattr(porsche, 'speed', 100)

# What's the value for attribute speed?
print(porsche.speed)
# 100

Video setattr()

Syntax setattr()

The setattr() object has the following syntax:

Syntax: 
setattr(object, attribute, value)         # Set or update object's attribute to value

Interactive Shell Exercise: Understanding setattr()

Consider the following interactive code:

Exercise: Before you run the code, guess the output!

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Practical Application: Python setattr() self

In object-oriented programming, you can often see the use of the setattr() built-in function in combination with the object self in the __init__() constructor method.

The idea is to be able to create a class with dynamic attributes chosen at runtime by the user or the program. This way, you can create container classes that hold arbitrary attributes.

class Person:
    def __init__(self, attributes):
        for key, value in attributes.items():
            setattr(self, key, value)


# Create two different persons
alice = Person({'name': 'Alice', 'income': 180000, 'eyes': 'blue'})
bob = Person({'firstname': 'Max', 'lastname': 'Power'})


# Different persons, different attributes
print(alice.name + ' ' + str(alice.income) + ' ' + alice.eyes)
print(bob.firstname + ' ' + bob.lastname)


# Output:
'''
Alice 180000 blue
Max Power
'''

Note that this is a very convenient way to create classes with different attribute names. However, you should consider whether you can improve your object-oriented modeling because the concept of a class may not be suitable if the instances don’t have the same attributes.

Python setattr() vs assignment

There are two equivalent ways to set or update the value of a new attribute for an object:

• Use the setattr(object, "attribute", value) function.
• Use the assignment operation object.attribute = value.

The difference is that the setattr() requires a string value of the attribute name while the assignment operation requires the name of the attribute itself. Thus, if you have only the textual representation of the attribute to be set—for example, from a dictionary of key value pairs—you should use the setattr() function. But if you have the explicit attribute name, it’s often more straightforward and readable to use the assignment.

class Person:
    None


# ASSIGNMENT:
# Create Alice with one attribute name
alice = Person()
alice.name = 'alice'

# SETATTR():
# Create Bob with one attribute name
bob = Person()
setattr(bob, 'name', 'bob')

print(alice.name)
print(bob.name)

'''
alice
bob
'''

Related Functions

• The getattr() function returns the value of an attribute.
• The setattr() function changes the value of an attribute.
• The hasattr() function checks if an attribute exists.
• The delattr() function deletes an existing attribute.

Summary

Python’s built-in setattr(object, string, value) function takes three arguments: an object, a string, and an arbitrary value.

It sets the attribute given by the string on the object to the specified value. After calling the function, there’s a new or updated attribute at the given instance, named and valued as provided in the arguments.

For example, setattr(object, 'attribute', 42) is equivalent to object.attribute = 42:

class O:
    None
    
obj = O()
setattr(obj, 'attribute', 42)
print(obj.attribute)
# 42

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