__name__ is a special built-in variable in Python that represents the name of the current module. It helps to determine the context in which a Python script is being executed.
- If a Python file is run directly (e.g.,
python script.py),__name__is set to"__main__". - If the file is imported as a module in another script (e.g.,
import script),__name__is set to the name of the module (in this case,"script").
This distinction allows you to write code that can behave differently depending on whether it is run as a standalone program or imported into another module.
