TypeError: 'str' object is not callable in Python [Solved]

# TypeError: 'str' object is not callable in Python

The Python "TypeError: 'str' object is not callable" occurs when we try to call a string as a function, e.g. by overriding the built-in str() function.

To solve the error, make sure you're not overriding str and resolve any clashes between function and variable names.

# Overriding the built-in str() function

Here is one example of how the error occurs.

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# 👇️ Overriding the built-in str()
str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
print(str(10))

We override the built-in str function, setting it to a string primitive and try to call it as a function.

To solve the error, rename your variable and restart your script.

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# ✅ Not overriding the built-in str() anymore
my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

print(str(10))

Now the variable no longer shadows the built-in str() function, so the issue is resolved.

# Use square brackets to access a string at a specific index

If you are trying to access the string at a specific index, use square brackets [], not parentheses ().

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my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
print(my_str(0))

The code sample causes the error because we used parentheses when trying to access the string at an index.

To solve the error, use square brackets instead.

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my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

print(my_str[0])  # 👉️ b
print(my_str[1])  # 👉️ o
print(my_str[2])  # 👉️ b

Python indexes are zero-based, so the first character in a string has an index of 0, and the last character has an index of -1 or len(a_string) - 1.

You should also use square brackets [] when getting a slice of a string.

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my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

print(my_str[0:3]) # 👉️ bob
print(my_str[0:5]) # 👉️ bobby

The syntax for string slicing is a_string[start:stop:step].

The start index is inclusive, whereas the stop index is exclusive (up to, but not including).

If the start index is omitted, it is considered to be 0, if the stop index is omitted, the slice goes to the end of the string.

# Common causes of the error

The error occurs for multiple reasons:

• Trying to access a string with parentheses () instead of square brackets [].
• Having a function and a variable with the same name.
• Overriding a built-in function by mistake and setting it to a string.
• Having a class method and a class property with the same name.
• Calling a function that returns a string twice.

# Having a function and a variable with the same name

Make sure you don't have a function and a variable with the same name.

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def example():
    return 'bobbyhadz.com'


example = 'hi'

# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
print(example())

The example variable shadows the function with the same name, so when we try to call the function, we actually end up calling the variable.

Renaming the variable or the function solves the error.

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def example():
    return 'bobbyhadz.com'


my_str = 'hi'

print(example())  # 👉️ bobbyhadz.com

We gave the variable a different name, so it no longer shadows the function.

# Trying to call a string literal as a function

Another common cause of the error is simply trying to call a string as a function.

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my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
print(my_str())

To solve the error, you either have to remove the parentheses or figure out how the variable got assigned a string instead of a function or a class.

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my_str = 'bobbyhadz.com'

print(my_str)  # 👉️ bobbyhadz.com

Removing the parentheses resolves the issue.

If the variable should point to a function or a method, you should track down where it got set to a string and correct the assignment.

# Having a class method and a class property with the same name

The error is also caused when we have a class method and a class property with the same name.

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class Employee():
    def __init__(self, name):
        # 👇️ this attribute hides the method
        self.name = name

    # 👇️ same name as class variable
    def name(self):
        return self.name


emp = Employee('Bobby Hadz')

# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
print(emp.name())

The Employee class has a method and an attribute with the same name.

The attribute hides the method, so when we try to call the method on an instance of the class, we get the "object is not callable" error.

To solve the error, rename the class method.

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class Employee():
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def get_name(self):
        return self.name


emp = Employee('Bobby Hadz')

print(emp.get_name())  # 👉️ "Bobby Hadz"

Now that the names of the method and class property no longer clash, we can call the method without any issues.

# Calling a function that returns a string twice

Here is another example of how the error occurs.

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def get_str():
    return 'bobbyhadz.com'


# ⛔️ TypeError: 'str' object is not callable
get_str()()

Notice that we used two sets of parentheses.

The first set invoked the get_str function. The function returns a string, so the second set of parentheses invoked the string.

To solve the error, remove the second set of parentheses.

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def get_str():
    return 'bobbyhadz.com'


print(get_str())  # 👉️ bobbyhadz.com

Now we only call the function once and print the result.

# Conclusion

To solve the "TypeError: 'str' object is not callable" error, make sure:

• You aren't trying to access a string with parentheses () instead of square brackets [].
• You don't have a function and a variable with the same name.
• You aren't overriding a built-in function and setting it to a string.
• You don't have a class method and a property with the same name.
• You aren't calling a function that returns a string twice.