Skip to content

Interpreter Information Functions

Documentation for copyright, credits, and license - Python interpreter information functions.

Complexity Reference

Operation Time Space Notes
copyright O(1) O(1) Display string
credits O(1) O(1) Display string
license O(1) O(1) Display license text

Displays Python copyright information.

# Display copyright notice
copyright

# Output:
# Copyright (c) 2001-2024 Python Software Foundation.
# All Rights Reserved.
# 
# Copyright (c) 2000 BeOpen.com
# All Rights Reserved.
# 
# ...

Accessing Programmatically

import sys

# Get copyright string
copyright_text = sys.copyright
print(copyright_text)

# Check if message
print(type(copyright))  # <class 'str'> (acts like string when printed)

Credits Information

credits - Python Credits

Displays credits for Python contributors.

# Display credits
credits

# Output:
#     Thanks to CWI, CNRI, BeOpen.com, Zope Corporation and a cast of thousands
#     for supporting Python development.  See www.python.org for more information.

Accessing Credits

# Credits displayed automatically in interactive mode
credits

# Programmatically access
import sys

# Not directly available as sys.credits, but can get from site module
from site import _Printer
print(f"Credits: {credits}")

License Information

license - Python License

Displays Python Software Foundation License.

# Display full license
license

# Output:
# (Displays entire license text interactively)

License Types

# Interactive mode:
license
# Shows full license text (PSF License)

# Accessing in code
import sys

# PSF license information
license_text = __license__ if '__license__' in dir(__builtins__) else "PSF License"

Practical Usage

Checking License in Programs

def display_about_dialog():
    """Display application about information."""
    info = f"""
    Python Version: 3.11.x
    Copyright: {copyright}

    For full license: python -c "import license; license"
    """
    print(info)

display_about_dialog()

License Compliance

import sys

def check_python_license():
    """Verify Python is properly licensed."""
    # Python is open source - always compliant
    # but you can document it:
    print("This program uses Python")
    print("Python Software Foundation License")
    print("Visit: https://docs.python.org/license.html")

check_python_license()

Exit Interactive Mode

# In interactive interpreter (REPL):
>>> copyright
# ...copyright text...
>>> exit  # Not a function - just type 'exit' or Ctrl+D
>>> quit  # Alternative to exit

Interactive Mode Only

Note on Availability

# These work in REPL:
>>> copyright
# Prints copyright

>>> credits
# Prints credits

>>> license
# Prints license

# In scripts, they're available but less common:
# python script.py won't automatically print these

Importing

# These are available globally in interactive mode
# In scripts, access via:
import sys
from site import _Printer

# They're site-specific helpers for REPL

Use Cases

About/Help Commands

def show_about():
    """Show application about information."""
    print("=== About ===")
    print(f"Python: {sys.version}")
    print("\nPython is licensed under the Python Software Foundation License")
    print("See: https://www.python.org/psf/license/")

show_about()

Documentation Generation

def generate_license_file():
    """Generate LICENSE file mentioning Python."""
    with open("LICENSE_PYTHON.txt", "w") as f:
        f.write("This project uses Python\n\n")
        f.write("Python License:\n")
        f.write("Python Software Foundation License\n")
        f.write("See: https://docs.python.org/license.html\n")

generate_license_file()

System Information

import sys
import platform

# Python version
print(f"Python: {sys.version}")
print(f"Platform: {platform.platform()}")

# License info
print("License: PSF License")
print("URL: https://www.python.org/psf/license/")

Interactive Help

# Use help() for documentation
help(copyright)
help(credits)
help(license)

# Or view online at:
# https://docs.python.org/license.html