How do I create a constant in Python?

Question

Is there a way to declare a constant in Python? In Java we can create constant values in this manner:

public static          


        

Answer 1

Unfortunately the Python has no constants so yet and it is shame. ES6 already added support constants to JavaScript (https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/const) since it is a very useful thing in any programming language. As answered in other answers in Python community use the convention - user uppercase variable as constants, but it does not protect against arbitrary errors in code. If you like, you may be found useful a single-file solution as next (see docstrings how use it).

file constants.py

import collections


__all__ = ('const', )


class Constant(object):
    """
    Implementation strict constants in Python 3.

    A constant can be set up, but can not be changed or deleted.
    Value of constant may any immutable type, as well as list or set.
    Besides if value of a constant is list or set, it will be converted in an immutable type as next:
        list -> tuple
        set -> frozenset
    Dict as value of a constant has no support.

    >>> const = Constant()
    >>> del const.temp
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    NameError: name 'temp' is not defined
    >>> const.temp = 1
    >>> const.temp = 88
    Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
    TypeError: Constanst can not be changed
    >>> del const.temp
    Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
    TypeError: Constanst can not be deleted
    >>> const.I = ['a', 1, 1.2]
    >>> print(const.I)
    ('a', 1, 1.2)
    >>> const.F = {1.2}
    >>> print(const.F)
    frozenset([1.2])
    >>> const.D = dict()
    Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
    TypeError: dict can not be used as constant
    >>> del const.UNDEFINED
    Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
    NameError: name 'UNDEFINED' is not defined
    >>> const()
    {'I': ('a', 1, 1.2), 'temp': 1, 'F': frozenset([1.2])}
    """

    def __setattr__(self, name, value):
        """Declaration a constant with value. If mutable - it will be converted to immutable, if possible.
        If the constant already exists, then made prevent againt change it."""

        if name in self.__dict__:
            raise TypeError('Constanst can not be changed')

        if not isinstance(value, collections.Hashable):
            if isinstance(value, list):
                value = tuple(value)
            elif isinstance(value, set):
                value = frozenset(value)
            elif isinstance(value, dict):
                raise TypeError('dict can not be used as constant')
            else:
                raise ValueError('Muttable or custom type is not supported')
        self.__dict__[name] = value

    def __delattr__(self, name):
        """Deny against deleting a declared constant."""

        if name in self.__dict__:
            raise TypeError('Constanst can not be deleted')
        raise NameError("name '%s' is not defined" % name)

    def __call__(self):
        """Return all constans."""

        return self.__dict__


const = Constant()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    import doctest
    doctest.testmod()

If this is not enough, see full testcase for it.

import decimal
import uuid
import datetime
import unittest

from ..constants import Constant


class TestConstant(unittest.TestCase):
    """
    Test for implementation constants in the Python
    """

    def setUp(self):

        self.const = Constant()

    def tearDown(self):

        del self.const

    def test_create_constant_with_different_variants_of_name(self):

        self.const.CONSTANT = 1
        self.assertEqual(self.const.CONSTANT, 1)
        self.const.Constant = 2
        self.assertEqual(self.const.Constant, 2)
        self.const.ConStAnT = 3
        self.assertEqual(self.const.ConStAnT, 3)
        self.const.constant = 4
        self.assertEqual(self.const.constant, 4)
        self.const.co_ns_ta_nt = 5
        self.assertEqual(self.const.co_ns_ta_nt, 5)
        self.const.constant1111 = 6
        self.assertEqual(self.const.constant1111, 6)

    def test_create_and_change_integer_constant(self):

        self.const.INT = 1234
        self.assertEqual(self.const.INT, 1234)
        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.INT = .211

    def test_create_and_change_float_constant(self):

        self.const.FLOAT = .1234
        self.assertEqual(self.const.FLOAT, .1234)
        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.FLOAT = .211

    def test_create_and_change_list_constant_but_saved_as_tuple(self):

        self.const.LIST = [1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today(), [], {}]
        self.assertEqual(self.const.LIST, (1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today(), [], {}))

        self.assertTrue(isinstance(self.const.LIST, tuple))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.LIST = .211

    def test_create_and_change_none_constant(self):

        self.const.NONE = None
        self.assertEqual(self.const.NONE, None)
        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.NONE = .211

    def test_create_and_change_boolean_constant(self):

        self.const.BOOLEAN = True
        self.assertEqual(self.const.BOOLEAN, True)
        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.BOOLEAN = False

    def test_create_and_change_string_constant(self):

        self.const.STRING = "Text"
        self.assertEqual(self.const.STRING, "Text")

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.STRING += '...'

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.STRING = 'TEst1'

    def test_create_dict_constant(self):

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'dict can not be used as constant'):
            self.const.DICT = {}

    def test_create_and_change_tuple_constant(self):

        self.const.TUPLE = (1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today(), [], {})
        self.assertEqual(self.const.TUPLE, (1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today(), [], {}))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.TUPLE = 'TEst1'

    def test_create_and_change_set_constant(self):

        self.const.SET = {1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today()}
        self.assertEqual(self.const.SET, {1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today()})

        self.assertTrue(isinstance(self.const.SET, frozenset))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.SET = 3212

    def test_create_and_change_frozenset_constant(self):

        self.const.FROZENSET = frozenset({1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today()})
        self.assertEqual(self.const.FROZENSET, frozenset({1, .2, None, True, datetime.date.today()}))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.FROZENSET = True

    def test_create_and_change_date_constant(self):

        self.const.DATE = datetime.date(1111, 11, 11)
        self.assertEqual(self.const.DATE, datetime.date(1111, 11, 11))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.DATE = True

    def test_create_and_change_datetime_constant(self):

        self.const.DATETIME = datetime.datetime(2000, 10, 10, 10, 10)
        self.assertEqual(self.const.DATETIME, datetime.datetime(2000, 10, 10, 10, 10))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.DATETIME = None

    def test_create_and_change_decimal_constant(self):

        self.const.DECIMAL = decimal.Decimal(13123.12312312321)
        self.assertEqual(self.const.DECIMAL, decimal.Decimal(13123.12312312321))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.DECIMAL = None

    def test_create_and_change_timedelta_constant(self):

        self.const.TIMEDELTA = datetime.timedelta(days=45)
        self.assertEqual(self.const.TIMEDELTA, datetime.timedelta(days=45))

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.TIMEDELTA = 1

    def test_create_and_change_uuid_constant(self):

        value = uuid.uuid4()
        self.const.UUID = value
        self.assertEqual(self.const.UUID, value)

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be changed'):
            self.const.UUID = []

    def test_try_delete_defined_const(self):

        self.const.VERSION = '0.0.1'
        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(TypeError, 'Constanst can not be deleted'):
            del self.const.VERSION

    def test_try_delete_undefined_const(self):

        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(NameError, "name 'UNDEFINED' is not defined"):
            del self.const.UNDEFINED

    def test_get_all_defined_constants(self):

        self.assertDictEqual(self.const(), {})

        self.const.A = 1
        self.assertDictEqual(self.const(), {'A': 1})

        self.const.B = "Text"
        self.assertDictEqual(self.const(), {'A': 1, 'B': "Text"})

Advantages: 1. Access to all constants for whole project 2. Strict control for values of constants

Lacks: 1. Not support for custom types and the type 'dict'

Notes:

1. Tested with Python3.4 and Python3.5 (I am use the 'tox' for it)

2. Testing environment:

.

$ uname -a
Linux wlysenko-Aspire 3.13.0-37-generic #64-Ubuntu SMP Mon Sep 22 21:28:38 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux