3.32 __builtin__ -- Built-in objects

This module provides direct access to all `built-in' identifiers of Python; for example, __builtin__.open is the full name for the built-in function open(). See chapter 2, ``Built-in Objects.''

This module is not normally accessed explicitly by most applications, but can be useful in modules that provide objects with the same name as a built-in value, but in which the built-in of that name is also needed. For example, in a module that wants to implement an open() function that wraps the built-in open(), this module can be used directly:

import __builtin__

def open(path):
    f = __builtin__.open(path, 'r')
    return UpperCaser(f)

class UpperCaser:
    '''Wrapper around a file that converts output to upper-case.'''

    def __init__(self, f):
        self._f = f

    def read(self, count=-1):
        return self._f.read(count).upper()

    # ...

As an implementation detail, most modules have the name __builtins__ (note the "s") made available as part of their globals. The value of __builtins__ is normally either this module or the value of this modules's __dict__ attribute. Since this is an implementation detail, it may not be used by alternate implementations of Python.

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Release 2.4.4c1, documentation updated on 11 October 2006.