What Does Python's @ Symbol Do: Decorators or Matrix Multiplication?

Python's Versatile @ Symbol: A Guide to Its Roles

The @ symbol in Python serves two distinct purposes, as we explore below:

1. Decorators (Beginning of a Line)

When placed at the beginning of a line, @ denotes class and function decorators. Decorators are functions that modify the behavior of other functions. They are often used to provide functionality like caching, logging, or type checking.

• Resources:

  • [PEP 318: Decorators](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0318/)
  • [Python Decorators - Python Wiki](https://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonDecorators)

Common decorators include:

* @property
* @classmethod
* @staticmethod

2. Matrix Multiplication (Middle of a Line)

When encountered in the middle of a line, @ typically represents matrix multiplication. It is a binary operator that performs element-by-element multiplication of two matrices.

• Resource:

  • [@ as a binary operator](https://numpy.org/doc/stable/reference/generated/numpy.matmul.html)

Additional Notes:

• The @ symbol can also be used in regular Python code, but its primary usage is in the aforementioned contexts.

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