What is the difference between `>>> some_object` and `>>> print some_object` in the Python interpreter?

Question

In the interpreter you can just write the name of an object e.g. a list a = [1, 2, 3, u\"hellö\"] at the interpreter prompt like this:

>>&         


        

Answer 1

Typing an object into the terminal calls __repr__(), which is for a detailed representation of the object you are printing (unambiguous). When you tell something to 'print', you are calling __str__() and therefore asking for something human readable.

Alex Martelli gave a great explanation here. Other responses in the thread might also illuminate the difference.

For example, take a look at datetime objects.

>>> import datetime
>>> now = datetime.datetime.now()

Compare...

>>> now
Out: datetime.datetime(2011, 8, 18, 15, 10, 29, 827606)

to...

>>> print now
Out: 2011-08-18 15:10:29.827606

Hopefully that makes it a little more clear!