{"id":575,"date":"2020-10-16T02:05:41","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T02:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/?page_id=575"},"modified":"2025-03-30T10:08:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T10:08:03","slug":"python-__name__","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-__name__\/","title":{"rendered":"Python __name__"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you’ll learn about the Python __name__<\/code> variable and how to use it effectively in modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s Python __name__? #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have gone through Python code, you’ve likely seen the __name__<\/code> variable like the following:<\/p>\n\n\n

if<\/span> __name__ == '__main__'<\/span>:\n    main()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
And you might wonder what the __name__<\/code> variable is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the __name__<\/code> variable has double underscores at both sides, it’s called a dunder name<\/strong>. The dunder stands for d<\/strong>ouble under<\/strong>scores<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The __name__<\/code> is a special variable in Python. It’s special because Python assigns a different value to it depending on how its containing script executes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often, you want to write a script that can be executed directly or imported as a module. The __name__<\/code> variable allows you to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you run the script directly, Python sets the __name__<\/code> variable to '__main__'<\/code>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, if you import a file as a module, Python sets the module name to the __name__<\/code> variable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Python __name__ variable example #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
First, create a new module called billing<\/code> that has two functions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you import a module<\/a>, Python executes the file associated with the module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n