How to check type of variable? Python

Question

I need to do one thing if args is integer and ather thing if args is string.

How can i chack type? Example:

def handle(self, *args, **options):

        if not args:
           do_something()
        elif args is integer:
           do_some_ather_thing:
        elif args is string: 
           do_totally_different_thing()

Answer 1

First of, *args is always a list. You want to check if its content are strings?

import types
def handle(self, *args, **options):
    if not args:
       do_something()
    # check if everything in args is a Int
    elif all( isinstance(s, types.IntType) for s in args):
       do_some_ather_thing()
    # as before with strings
    elif all( isinstance(s, types.StringTypes) for s in args):
       do_totally_different_thing()

It uses types.StringTypes because Python actually has two kinds of strings: unicode and bytestrings - this way both work.

In Python3 the builtin types have been removed from the types lib and there is only one string type. This means that the type checks look like isinstance(s, int) and isinstance(s, str).

Answer 2

You could also try to do it in a more Pythonic way without using type or isinstance(preferred because it supports inheritance):

if not args:
     do_something()
else:
     try:
        do_some_other_thing()
     except TypeError:
        do_totally_different_thing()

It obviously depends on what do_some_other_thing() does.