What is the easiest, most concise way to make selected attributes in an instance be readonly?

Question

In Python, I want to make selected instance attributes of a class be readonly to code outside of the class. I want there to be no way outside code can alter the attribute, except indirectly by invoking methods on the instance. I want the syntax to be concise. What is the best way? (I give my current best answer below...)

Answer 1

You should use the @property decorator.

>>> class a(object):
...     def __init__(self, x):
...             self.x = x
...     @property
...     def xval(self):
...             return self.x
... 
>>> b = a(5)
>>> b.xval
5
>>> b.xval = 6
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: can't set attribute

Answer 2

class C(object):

    def __init__(self):

        self.fullaccess = 0
        self.__readonly = 22 # almost invisible to outside code...

    # define a publicly visible, read-only version of '__readonly':
    readonly = property(lambda self: self.__readonly)

    def inc_readonly( self ):
        self.__readonly += 1

c=C()

# prove regular attribute is RW...
print "c.fullaccess = %s" % c.fullaccess
c.fullaccess = 1234
print "c.fullaccess = %s" % c.fullaccess

# prove 'readonly' is a read-only attribute
print "c.readonly = %s" % c.readonly
try:
    c.readonly = 3
except AttributeError:
    print "Can't change c.readonly"
print "c.readonly = %s" % c.readonly

# change 'readonly' indirectly...
c.inc_readonly()
print "c.readonly = %s" % c.readonly

This outputs:

$ python ./p.py
c.fullaccess = 0
c.fullaccess = 1234
c.readonly = 22
Can't change c.readonly
c.readonly = 22
c.readonly = 23

My fingers itch to be able to say

    @readonly
    self.readonly = 22

i.e., use a decorator on an attribute. It would be so clean...