Python 3 Decorators: Enhancing Functions with Magic

Decorators in Python are a powerful tool that allows you to modify or extend the behavior of functions and classes without changing their source code. Think of them as "special wrappers" that add functionality to existing code.

📌 Key Concepts

  • Syntax: Use @decorator above a function definition
  • Purpose: Add features like logging, access control, or caching
  • Flexibility: Can be applied to functions, methods, and classes

🧠 Example Usage

def my_decorator(func):
    def wrapper():
        print("Before function call")
        func()
        print("After function call")
    return wrapper

@my_decorator
def say_hello():
    print("Hello!")

say_hello()

🚀 Practical Applications

  • Adding authentication to APIs
  • Implementing rate limiting
  • Creating reusable logging systems

Want to dive deeper? Check out our Python 3 Functions Guide for foundational knowledge before exploring decorators.

Python Decorators