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Python’s dir() helps you explore names while working interactively: with no argument, it lists names in the current local scope; with an object, it attempts to list names associated with that object. Its alphabetized output is useful for discovery, but it is not a guaranteed inventory of every attribute.
What does Python dir() do?
dir() returns a sorted list of names. Its behavior depends on whether you pass an argument:
| Call | What it lists | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
dir() |
Names in the current local scope | See what names are available where the call runs |
dir(object) |
An attempted list of valid attribute names associated with the object | Explore a module, class, or instance |
For example, Python’s documentation demonstrates inspecting the current scope and a module:
import struct
dir() # Names in the current local scope
dir(struct) # Names associated with the struct moduleThe no-argument form depends on scope and execution context. Python 3.14.7’s built-in functions documentation notes that behavior for dir() without an argument changed in Python 3.13, referring readers to the updated behavior described for locals(). Do not assume a scope-sensitive result is identical in every execution context or across Python releases.
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How do I use dir() with an object?
Pass the object in parentheses. Modules show module attribute names; class objects show class and base-class attributes; other objects show instance names along with class and base-class names.
import struct
print(dir(struct))The output is a list of strings in alphabetical order. It often includes names that begin and end with double underscores, as well as names intended for regular use. Treat the list as a starting point for exploration rather than a promise that every listed name can be retrieved successfully.
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Why doesn’t dir() show every attribute?
dir() is designed mainly as a convenience for interactive use, not as a rigorous or consistently defined inventory. Python’s documentation says it aims to provide an “interesting set of names” and that detailed behavior may change across releases.
- If an object defines
__dir__(),dir(object)calls it. That method can tailor the displayed names. - If the object has no
__dir__(), Python tries to gather names from its__dict__, if defined, and from its type. - The result can be incomplete or inaccurate, especially when custom
__getattr__()behavior supplies attributes dynamically. - When the argument is a class, metaclass attributes do not appear in the result.
These limits mean that seeing a name in the list does not prove that every access will succeed, and not seeing a name does not prove that it cannot be accessed.
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What is __dir__() in Python?
__dir__() is an object method that can customize the names returned by dir(). For example:
class Shape:
def __dir__(self):
return ["area", "perimeter", "location"]
shape = Shape()
print(dir(shape))
# ['area', 'location', 'perimeter']Here, dir(shape) uses the names provided by Shape.__dir__(); the returned list is alphabetized. This is useful when a type wants interactive discovery to show a deliberate set of names, but it also reinforces why dir() should not be treated as a complete inspection mechanism.
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When should I rely on dir()?
Use it to quickly orient yourself at an interactive prompt or to explore an unfamiliar object. If you need to establish whether a particular attribute exists or what value it has, check it directly rather than treating the dir() list as definitive. Python’s official documentation describes its purpose and caveats in Built-in Functions — Python 3.14.7 documentation.
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