Why if name == “main” is Used in Python Programs

4 min readNov 27, 2023

You may have seen the if __name__ == '__main__': along with some code written inside this block in Python script. Have you ever wondered what this block is, and why it is used?

In this article, you’ll discover the concept of if __name__ == '__main__' block.

Understanding if name == ‘main’?

Well, if __name__ == '__main__': is not some magical keyword or incantation in Python rather it is a way to ensure that specific code is executed when the module is directly executed not when it is imported as a module.

What this expression implies is that only when a certain condition is met, further action should be taken. For example, if the name of the current running module (__name__) is the same as "__main__", only the code following the if __name__ == '__main__': block is executed.

Here’s a Python script in which a function is defined that returns a square of the value and a print statement that prints the square of the specified integer.

# math_module.py

# Defined a Function
def square(num):
    value = num * num
    return value
print("Main Script.")
result = square(2)
print(f"Square of 2: {result}.")
----------
Main Script.
Square of 2: 4.

If you run the script directly, it will produce the desired result, which is 4. The issue arises when you try to reuse the square function in another script.

A new Python script (square.py) is created, and the square function from the previous script is imported into it.

# square.py

# Main Script Imported as Module
from math_module import square
print("Script Imported as Module.")
result = square(3)
print(f"Square of 3: {result}.")

When you run the above script, the console will display the following output.

Main Script.
Square of 2: 4.
Script Imported as Module.
Square of 3: 9.

The output shows that the code from the main script (math_module.py) is executed first, followed by the code from the currently running script.

You reused the square function, but the code inside the main script is executed automatically, which you obviously do not want. This is where you can use the if __name__ == "__main__": block functionality.

Why It Is Used?

If you add the if __name__ == "__main__": block after the square function code in the main script, the code within the if __name__ == "__main__": block will not be executed automatically when you import the script in another module.

# math_module.py

# Defined a Function
def square(num):
    value = num * num
    return value
if __name__ == "__main__":
    print("Main Script.")
    result = square(2)
    print(f"Square of 2: {result}.")

The if __name__ == "__main__": block is added to the main script (math_module.py), along with some code. If you import the square function from the main script into the second script (square.py), the main script's code will no longer run automatically.

# square.py

# Main Script Imported as Module
from math_module import square
print("Script Imported as Module.")
result = square(3)
print(f"Square of 3: {result}.")

When you run the above code, you will get the following result.

Script Imported as Module.
Square of 3: 9.

You may be wondering how a single line of code can restrict the execution of code within the if __name__ == "__main__": block into another script.

How Did It Happen?

Curious! How the code in the if __name__ == "__main__": block was not executed when you ran square.py.

# math_module.py

# Defined a Function
def square(num):
    value = num * num
    return value
print(f"Name of the Module: {__name__}.")
# Remaining code

When you run the above code, you will get the following output.

Name of the Module: __main__.

When a Python script is run, the __name__ variable is set to "__main__", indicating that the script is being run as the main program.

When a Python script is imported as a module into another script, the __name__ variable is set to the name of the script/module.

So, code within the if __name__ == "__main__": block will only be executed if the script is run directly, not when it is imported as a module. When you print the name of the square.py, you will get the following output.

# square.py

# Main Script Imported as Module
from math_module import square
print(f"Name of the Module: {__name__}.")
# Remaining code
----------
Name of the Module: math_module.
Name of the Module: __main__.

You can see that the name of the main script (math_module.py) changed which is why the code in the if __name__ == "__main__": block didn't get executed when the square.py script was executed.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, if __name__ == "__main__": is like a gatekeeper that ensures that a specific portion of your Python script runs only when you directly execute that script. It keeps things clean, and organized, and helps you create versatile Python modules for your projects.

The if __name__ == "__main__": can be very handy in larger projects where you have multiple scripts working together. You can import functions and classes from one script into another without running the whole program every time.

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That’s all for now

Keep Coding✌✌