4.2. Naming and binding
=======================
4.2.2. Resolution of names
--------------------------
A *scope* defines the visibility of a name within a block. If a local
variable is defined in a block, its scope includes that block. If the
definition occurs in a function block, the scope extends to any blocks
contained within the defining one, unless a contained block introduces
a different binding for the name.
When a name is used in a code block, it is resolved using the nearest
enclosing scope. The set of all such scopes visible to a code block
is called the block's *environment*.
When a name is not found at all, a "NameError" exception is raised. If
the current scope is a function scope, and the name refers to a local
variable that has not yet been bound to a value at the point where the
name is used, an "UnboundLocalError" exception is raised.
"UnboundLocalError" is a subclass of "NameError".
If a name binding operation occurs anywhere within a code block, all
uses of the name within the block are treated as references to the
current block. This can lead to errors when a name is used within a
block before it is bound. This rule is subtle. Python lacks
declarations and allows name binding operations to occur anywhere
within a code block. The local variables of a code block can be
determined by scanning the entire text of the block for name binding
operations.
If the "global" statement occurs within a block, all uses of the names
specified in the statement refer to the bindings of those names in the
top-level namespace. Names are resolved in the top-level namespace by
searching the global namespace, i.e. the namespace of the module
containing the code block, and the builtins namespace, the namespace
of the module "builtins". The global namespace is searched first. If
the names are not found there, the builtins namespace is searched.
The "global" statement must precede all uses of the listed names.
The "global" statement has the same scope as a name binding operation
in the same block. If the nearest enclosing scope for a free variable
contains a global statement, the free variable is treated as a global.
The "nonlocal" statement causes corresponding names to refer to
previously bound variables in the nearest enclosing function scope.
"SyntaxError" is raised at compile time if the given name does not
exist in any enclosing function scope.
The namespace for a module is automatically created the first time a
module is imported. The main module for a script is always called
"__main__".
Class definition blocks and arguments to "exec()" and "eval()" are
special in the context of name resolution. A class definition is an
executable statement that may use and define names. These references
follow the normal rules for name resolution with an exception that
unbound local variables are looked up in the global namespace. The
namespace of the class definition becomes the attribute dictionary of
the class. The scope of names defined in a class block is limited to
the class block; it does not extend to the code blocks of methods --
this includes comprehensions and generator expressions since they are
implemented using a function scope. This means that the following
will fail:
class A:
a = 42
b = list(a + i for i in range(10))
Related video
Python Course/Intermediate > Python Scope, Namespaces, Name Resolution and First-Class Objects
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