How Can I Programmatically Retrieve the Source Code of a Python Function?

Retrieving the Source Code of a Python Function

When working with Python functions, you may encounter the need to retrieve their source code programmatically. This is typically useful for introspecting the function's implementation or for debugging purposes.

Probing for Function Metadata

Python provides several mechanisms for inspecting function metadata, including the func_name attribute, which returns the function's name as a string. However, this does not provide direct access to the source code.

Utilizing the inspect Module

To retrieve the source code of a Python function, you can leverage the inspect module. If the function is defined in a source file that is available on the filesystem, you can employ the inspect.getsource(foo) function.

import inspect

def foo(arg1, arg2):
    # do something with args
    a = arg1 + arg2
    return a

lines = inspect.getsource(foo)
print(lines)

This will print the source code of the foo function as it appears in the source file.

Limitations of Source Code Retrieval

It is important to note that if the function is compiled from a string, stream, or imported from a compiled file, you may not be able to retrieve its source code.

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