Python Secrets

Curated list of all the hidden jokes, easter eggs, secrets and the lesser known things in Python

Table of Contents

• Did you know?
• Easter Eggs
• Misc.

Did you know?

1. You can't subclass bool

>>> class subclass_of_bool(bool):
...   pass
...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
TypeError: type 'bool' is not an acceptable base type

2. Oxford 15

>>> 0xfor~d
15

Now try tipping the 0xfedor-a 🎩

3. Unicode identifiers

π = 3.1415
area = π * r ** 2

4. Longs

>>> p = 256
>>> q = 256
>>> p is q
True
>>> p = 257
>>> q = 257
>>> p is q
False

4.CLI month calendar

python -m "calendar" 2021 7

For options: python -m "calendar" --help

Easter Eggs

1. Zen of Python

import this

2. Easiest Hello World

import __hello__

3. Braces in python?

from __future__ import braces
  File "<stdin>", line 1
SyntaxError: not a chance

4. InPynite?

>>> hash(float('inf'))
314159
>>> hash(float('nan'))
0

5. Antigravity

import antigravity

6. Random coordinates

>>> from antigravity import geohash
>>> print(geohash(37.421542, -122.085589, b'2005-05-26-10458.68'))
# 37.857713 -122.544543

7. Friendly Language Uncle For Life

>>> from __future__ import barry_as_FLUFL
>>> 1 != 3
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    1 != 3
       ^
SyntaxError: with Barry as BDFL, use '<>' instead of '!='
>>> 1 <> 3
True

8. New parser?

>>> __peg_parser__
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    __peg_parser__
    ^
SyntaxError: You found it!

Note: This will work only in 3.9 and will be removed in 3.10 along with the LL(1) parser with the introduction of the new PEG parser.

9. Not for the faint of heart

>>> import types
>>> help(types.CodeType)                                          

Misc.

1. If statement without using an if

# 1 condition
['cond1 is false', 'cond1 is true'][cond1]

# 2 conditions
['both false', 'cond1 is true', 'cond2 is true', 'both true'][2*cond2 + cond1]

2. For loop without using for, while

def loop(array):
  if len(array) == 0:
    return 0
  else: 
    # do smth with array[0] for example print(array[0])
    print(array[0])
    return loop(array[1:])

loop([1,2,3,'a string'])