In what order do stacked decorators execute on a call?
PICTURE THIS: 1, 2, 2, 8
Simple meaning
Definition-time wrapping is bottom-up: the decorator closest to the def wraps first.
WHY — Decorators instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about Decorators:
who only read docs from people who shipped.
and tied to Python work.
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
End with when you use it and one common pitfall.
STEPS — What happens step by step?
Before you speak the answer, walk the interviewer through these steps:
- 1Definition-time wrapping is bottom-up:
the decorator closest to the def wraps first.
- 2Call-time execution is top-down:
the outermost wrapper runs first and decides whether to call inward.
- 3That is why @a
@b def f means f = a(b(f)).
- 4Give an example
One tiny concrete case you can say aloud.
- 5Common mistake
What juniors usually get wrong.
- 6Close
When you pick this over the alternative.
EXAMPLE — See it in action
Here's a short line you can speak, broken into clear beats:
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
Definition-time wrapping is bottom-up: the decorator closest to the def wraps first. Call-time execution is top-down: the outermost wrapper runs first and decides whether to call inward.