Enum

2 articles

Python 04 Sep 2026 11 min read

Model Combinable Options in Python with enum.Flag and IntFlag

Some values represent one choice from a fixed set. A log level might be INFO, WARNING, or ERROR. Python’s Enum is a natural fit because one value should identify one member. Other values represent a combination of independent options. A file operation may allow reading and writing. A protocol field may enable compression and encryption. A component may expose several capabilities at the same time. Representing those combinations as ordinary booleans works at first:

Python enum

Python 03 Sep 2026 9 min read

Model Finite States Clearly with Python Enum

Many programs represent a small fixed set of states with plain strings: status = "paid" That looks simple, but the string carries no built-in guarantee that it belongs to the set of states your application actually supports. A typo such as "paied" is still a valid Python string. So is an unexpected value received from a file, database, message, or HTTP request.

Python Enum