What is the Purpose of the `__repr__` Method in Python?

Understanding the repr Method

The repr (representation) method is a crucial Python method used to generate a textual representation of an object. Unlike __str__, which focuses on human-readable output, __repr__'s goal is to provide a developer-friendly representation that can be used to recreate the object.

In the provided code:

<code class="python">def __repr__(self):
  return '<%s %s (%s:%s) %s>' % (
    self.__class__.__name__, self.urlconf_name, self.app_name,
    self.namespace, self.regex.pattern)</code>

This method returns a string representation of a particular object. In this specific case, it's related to routes within a web framework. The string generated includes information such as the class name, URL configuration name, application name, namespace, and regular expression pattern.

The repr method is especially useful for debugging and introspection purposes. By printing the result of __repr__, you can see the internal state of an object and get a detailed representation of its structure.

It's important to note that repr is meant to provide a canonical representation of an object, rather than a human-readable one. While str is primarily intended for end-users, repr serves as a tool for developers to understand and diagnose their code.

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