Python: What is a Decorator?

I was working on some python stuff when I stumbled upon the term decorator; not knowing what it was, a quick google search led to a relatively confusing explanation of what I believe to be a simple idea.

A decorator is simply a function that extends another function. As in, it executes that original function, but also does more. Take the function below:

def print_my_name: print(“Neil Patel”)

Now take this decorator below:

def my_decorator(some_function): def wrapper(): print(“Something is happening before some_function() is called.”) some_function() print(“Something is happening after some_function() is called.”) return(wrapper)

If we were to execute this line of code:

my_decorator(print_my_name)

This is what would happen:

Something is happening before some_function() is called. Neil Patel Something is happening after some_function() is called.

You can call a decorator on a function using the @ sign! Take a look at the timing function below:

import time def timing_function(some_function): def wrapper(): t1 = time.time() some_function() t2 = time.time() return “Time it took to run the function: “ + str((t2 - t1)) + “\n” return(wrapper)

@timing_function def my_function(): num_list = [] for num in (range(0, 10000)): num_list.append(num) print(“\nSum of all the numbers: “ + str((sum(num_list))))

print(my_function())

basically, what the @timing_function line does is say : my_function=timing_function(my_function)!