🙀 WAT
Deep inspection of Python objects.
WAT is a powerful inspection tool that allows you to delve into and examine unknown objects at runtime.
"Wat" is a variant of the English word "what" that is often used to express confusion or disgust
If you find yourself deep in the Python console, feeling lost and confused,
and wondering "WAT? What is this thing?",
that's where the wat
inspector comes in handy.
Start the Python Interpreter (or attach to one) and execute wat / object
on any object
to investigate its
type, formatted value, variables, methods, parent types, signature,
documentation, and even its source code.
Alternatively, you can use wat(object)
syntax.
Loading
Insta-Load
If you want to quickly debug something, you can use this inspector without installing anything, in the same session.
Load it on the fly by pasting this snippet to your Python interpreter:
import base64, zlib
code = b'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'
exec(zlib.decompress(base64.b64decode(code)).decode(), globals())
Now you can use wat
object.
Warning
Before executing Insta-Load snippet, it's recommended to verify what you're about to run. You can either:
- Verify what's inside the extracted code beforehand:
print(zlib.decompress(base64.b64decode(code)).decode())
- Paste the content of inspection.py into your interpreter. It has the same effect.
- Install package with pip and review the code.
Install with pip
Alternatively, install wat-inspector package and import inspection tool from wat module:
pip install wat-inspector
import wat
Usage & modifiers
wat
object can quickly inspect things
by using the division operator (for faster typing without parentheses).
A short syntax wat / foo
is equivalent to wat(foo)
.
You can call wat.modifiers / foo
with the following modifiers:
.short
or.s
to hide the attributes (variables and methods inside the object).dunder
to display dunder attributes (starting with__
).code
to reveal the source code of a function, method, or class.long
to show non-abbreviated values and docstrings.nodocs
to hide documentation for functions and classes.caller
to show how and where the inspection was called (works in files, not REPL).all
to include all available information.ret
to return the inspected object.str
to return the output string instead of printing it.gray
to disable colorful output in the console
You can chain modifiers, e.g. wat.long.dunder.nodocs / foo
.
Call wat.locals
or wat()
to inspect local variables.
Call wat.globals
to inspect global variables.
Type wat
in the interpreter to learn more about this object itself.
There are several alternative syntaxes that are equivalent. Choose the one that works best for you:
wat.short / 'foo' # fast typing
wat.short('foo')
wat('foo', short=True) # natural Python syntax
'foo' | wat.short # Unix piping
Use Case Examples
Determine type
In a dynamic typing language like Python, it's often hard to determine the type of an object. WAT Inspector can help you with that by showing the name of the type with the module it comes from.
>>> wat.short / (1,)
value: (1,)
type: tuple
len: 1
>>> wat.short / {None}
value: {None}
type: set
len: 1
>>> wat.short / user
str: admin
repr: <User: admin>
type: django.contrib.auth.models.User
parents: django.contrib.auth.models.AbstractUser, django.contrib.auth.base_user.AbstractBaseUser, django.contrib.auth.models.PermissionsMixin, django.db.models.base.Model, django.db.models.utils.AltersData
Now that you've identified the actual type, you can put the type annotations in your code to reduce further confusion.
Look up methods
By listing out methods with their signatures and docstrings, you can easily grasp how to use the unknown object.
wat / ['foo']
Use wat.long
if you want to see full doscstrings.
Discover function's signature
See the docstrings and the signature of a function to learn how to use it.
wat / str.split
Look up attributes
List the attribues and their types to see what's really inside the inspected object.
wat / re.match('(\d)_(.*)', '1_title')
Explore modules
Another use case is to explore modules. You can list the functions, classes and sub-modules of a selected module.
import pathlib
wat / pathlib
Then, you can navigate further, e.g. wat / pathlib.fnmatch
.
Explore dunder attributes
By default, WAT Inspector hides attributes starting with __
. Use wat.dunder
to see them.
wat.dunder / {}
Review the code
Look up the source code of a function to see how it really works.
import colorsys
wat.code / colorsys.hsv_to_rgb
Prettify unreadable collections
Nested dictionaries and lists get nicely formatted, indented output:
Debug with breakpoint
You can use Python's breakpoint()
keyword to launch an interactive debugger in your program. Attach to the interpreter and inspect things on the spot.
(Pdb) import wat # or paste Insta-Load snippet
(Pdb) wat / foo # inspect local variables
...
(Pdb) c # continue execution
Look up local variables
Use wat.locals
or wat.globals
to look up the local and global variables respectively.
Learn Python
With these snippets you can better understand Python internals.
reversed([]) == reversed([])
# False
wat.s / reversed([])
# value: <list_reverseiterator object at 0x76749d1cb400>
# type: list_reverseiterator
wat / type('ObjectCreator', (), {})
# value: <class '__main__.ObjectCreator'>
# type: type
# signature: class ObjectCreator()
from typing import List
wat.s / List[str]
# value: typing.List[str]
# type: typing._GenericAlias
# parents: typing._BaseGenericAlias, typing._Final
# signature: def List(*args, **kwargs)
wat(str | None)
# value: str | None
# type: types.UnionType
Explore Python built-ins:
wat / __builtins__
wat / ...
Inspect WAT itself
wat.dunder / wat
wat.code / wat.__truediv__
Environment variables
WAT_COLOR="false"
to disable colorful output in the console.WAT_COLOR="true"
to enforce colorful outputs even in non-tty environment.
References
- Inspired by Rich Inspect