Python Language Variable Scope and Binding Global Variables
Example
In Python, variables inside functions are considered local if and only if they appear in the left side of an assignment statement, or some other binding occurrence; otherwise such a binding is looked up in enclosing functions, up to the global scope. This is true even if the assignment statement is never executed.
x = 'Hi'
def read_x():
print(x) # x is just referenced, therefore assumed global
read_x() # prints Hi
def read_y():
print(y) # here y is just referenced, therefore assumed global
read_y() # NameError: global name 'y' is not defined
def read_y():
y = 'Hey' # y appears in an assignment, therefore it's local
print(y) # will find the local y
read_y() # prints Hey
def read_x_local_fail():
if False:
x = 'Hey' # x appears in an assignment, therefore it's local
print(x) # will look for the _local_ z, which is not assigned, and will not be found
read_x_local_fail() # UnboundLocalError: local variable 'x' referenced before assignment
Normally, an assignment inside a scope will shadow any outer variables of the same name:
x = 'Hi'
def change_local_x():
x = 'Bye'
print(x)
change_local_x() # prints Bye
print(x) # prints Hi
Declaring a name global means that, for the rest of the scope, any assignments to the name will happen at the module's top level:
x = 'Hi'
def change_global_x():
global x
x = 'Bye'
print(x)
change_global_x() # prints Bye
print(x) # prints Bye
The global keyword means that assignments will happen at the module's top level, not at the program's top level. Other modules will still need the usual dotted access to variables within the module.
To summarize: in order to know whether a variable x is local to a function, you should read the entire function:
- if you've found
global x, thenxis a global variable - If you've found
nonlocal x, thenxbelongs to an enclosing function, and is neither local nor global - If you've found
x = 5orfor x in range(3)or some other binding, thenxis a local variable - Otherwise
xbelongs to some enclosing scope (function scope, global scope, or builtins)
