Topic: Functions and their scopes in Python. Create user functions What is Python Scope?

locals()
Another function is locals(), which is related to scope and namespaces in Python. It updates and returns a dictionary with a copy of the current state of the local Python scope. When you call locals() within a function block, names that can be accessed locally from the function will be returned. Let us understand locals() with the help of a code.
# Without using local variables
def test_1():
print("No local variable : ", locals())
# Using local variables
def test_2():
Language = "Python Programming"
print("Local variable: ", locals())
test_1()
test_2()
OUTPUT:
No local variable : {}
Local variable : {'Language': 'Python Programming'}
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Let's have a look at one more code:
def test():
score = 10
locals()['score'] = 200
print('The Score is:', score)
test()
OUTOUT:
The Score is: 10
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dir()
An important built-in function, dir () relates to scope and namespaces in python. It returns a list of valid attributes. Moreover, dir() function behavior differs with a different type of object, as it targets to generate the most relevant one instead of complete information. Let us understand dir() with the help of a code.
scores = [5, 2, 3]
print(dir(scores))
print('\n Return values from the empty dir()')
print(dir())
OUTPUT:
['__add__', '__class__', '__contains__', '__delattr__', '__delitem__', '__dir__', '__doc__', '__eq__', '__format__', '__ge__', '__getattribute__', '__getitem__', '__gt__', '__hash__', '__iadd__', '__imul__', '__init__', '__init_subclass__', '__iter__', '__le__', '__len__', '__lt__', '__mul__', '__ne__', '__new__', '__reduce__', '__reduce_ex__', '__repr__', '__reversed__', '__rmul__', '__setattr__', '__setitem__', '__sizeof__', '__str__', '__subclasshook__', 'append', 'clear', 'copy', 'count', 'extend', 'index', 'insert', 'pop', 'remove', 'reverse', 'sort']
Return values from the empty dir()
['__annotations__', '__builtins__', '__cached__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__loader__', '__name__', '__package__', '__spec__', 'scores']
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vars()
The vars() function is another in-built function related to scope and namespaces in Python. It returns __dict__ attribute for modules, classes, instances, or objects. It is important to note that the __dict__ is a special dictionary used by Python to implement namespaces. Remember, if you miss writing the vars() attribute, it will merely behave like locals(). Let us understand vars() with the help of a code.
class Scores:
def __init__(self, Roll_1 = "Alice", Roll_2 = "Bella", Roll_3 = "Cindrella"):
self.Roll_1 = Roll_1
self.Roll_2 = Roll_2
self.Roll_3 = Roll_2
score = Scores()
print(vars(score))
OUTPUT:
{'Roll_1': 'Alice', 'Roll_2': 'Bella', 'Roll_3': 'Bella'}
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