Preserves the wrapped function's metadata when creating a decorator.

Indicates that the wrapper maintains the wrapped function's signature and documentation.

When writing a decorator that should not obscure the wrapped function's identity for debugging, introspection, or help.

Used when implementing decorators for logging, timing, authentication, caching, etc., in Python.

@functools.wraps(func)\ndef wrapper(*args, **kwargs):\n return func(*args, **kwargs)

@functools.wraps(func)\ndef wrapper(*args, **kwargs):\n return func(*args, **kwargs)

func: the function being wrapped; *args, **kwargs: arguments forwarded to the original function.

• functools
• wraps
• decorator
• wrapper
• *args
• **kwargs
• func

• func can be any callable
• *args
• **kwargs can be renamed but are conventionally kept.

Forgetting to return func(*args, **kwargs); forgetting to import functools; applying wraps incorrectly (e.g., missing parentheses).

Similar to a plain wrapper without wraps (loses metadata); contrasted with class-based decorators or using functools.wraps on a class.

Forgetting to import functools; applying wraps to a class instead of a function may not preserve all attributes.

• functools.wraps
• decorator pattern
• function wrapper

Preserves __name__, __doc__, __module__, and annotations; does not preserve a changed signature if the wrapper alters *args/**kwargs (though the call signature remains the same).

Signals to readers and tools that the wrapper is transparent regarding the wrapped function's interface.

@functools.wraps(func) def wrapper(*args, **kwargs): return func(*args, **kwargs)

functools.wraps is a convenience wrapper for updating wrapper function attributes.