What is a Python equivalent of PHP's var_dump()? [duplicate]

Answer 1

Old topic, but worth a try.

Here is a simple and efficient var_dump function:

def var_dump(var, prefix=''):
    """
    You know you're a php developer when the first thing you ask for
    when learning a new language is 'Where's var_dump?????'
    """
    my_type = '[' + var.__class__.__name__ + '(' + str(len(var)) + ')]:'
    print(prefix, my_type, sep='')
    prefix += '    '
    for i in var:
        if type(i) in (list, tuple, dict, set):
            var_dump(i, prefix)
        else:
            if isinstance(var, dict):
                print(prefix, i, ': (', var[i].__class__.__name__, ') ', var[i], sep='')
            else:
                print(prefix, '(', i.__class__.__name__, ') ', i, sep='')

Sample output:

>>> var_dump(zen)

[list(9)]:
    (str) hello
    (int) 3
    (int) 43
    (int) 2
    (str) goodbye
    [list(3)]:
        (str) hey
        (str) oh
        [tuple(3)]:
            (str) jij
            (str) llll
            (str) iojfi
    (str) call
    (str) me
    [list(7)]:
        (str) coucou
        [dict(2)]:
            oKey: (str) oValue
            key: (str) value
        (str) this
        [list(4)]:
            (str) a
            (str) new
            (str) nested
            (str) list