How Can a Function Discover Its Own Name in Python?

Seeking the Function's Identity: Uncovering Its Name from Within

In the realm of coding, functions often serve as building blocks, performing specific tasks and forming the foundation of larger programs. However, have you ever encountered the need to know the name of the function you're currently executing?

Imagine a function named foo that wishes to proclaim its identity: "Hello, world! My name is foo." But how can foo determine its own name without explicitly hard-coding it?

Enter the realm of dynamic introspection. Thanks to the inspect module, it's possible to retrieve information about the currently executing function from within that very function. Diving into the depths of the stack, the inspect.stack() method returns a list of frames, each representing a call in the current execution stack.

In our case, inspect.stack()[0][3] denotes the frame of the current function, while inspect.stack()[1][3] represents the caller of the current function. Utilizing this knowledge, the following code allows foo to proclaim its identity without resorting to static strings:

<code class="python">import inspect

def foo():
   print("my name is", inspect.stack()[0][3])
   print("caller of foo:", inspect.stack()[1][3])

foo()</code>

And like magic, the output reveals:

my name is foo
caller of foo: <module_caller_of_foo>

Harnessing the power of introspection, functions can now discern their own names, enabling them to dynamically adapt and communicate their identities within the ever-changing landscape of code execution.

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