What Does the "At" (@) Symbol Do in Python?

What does the @ symbol do in Python?

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15 Answers

An @ symbol at the beginning of a line is used for class and function decorators:

The most common Python decorators are:

An @ in the middle of a line is probably matrix multiplication:

1

Example

class Pizza(object):
    def __init__(self):
        self.toppings = []

    def __call__(self, topping):
        # When using '@instance_of_pizza' before a function definition
        # the function gets passed onto 'topping'.
        self.toppings.append(topping())

    def __repr__(self):
        return str(self.toppings)

pizza = Pizza()

@pizza
def cheese():
    return 'cheese'
@pizza
def sauce():
    return 'sauce'

print pizza
# ['cheese', 'sauce']

This shows that the function/method/class you're defining after a decorator is just basically passed on as an argument to the function/method immediately after the @ sign.

Elena Rostova

Elena Rostova

Lead Health, Wellness & Medical Journalist

Elena Rostova holds a Master's degree in Public Health Journalism. She covers groundbreaking medical research, holistic wellness trends, mental health awareness, and nutritional science.