Why type of 'int' is type?

Question

I am printing type(int). Please explain me about this behaviour. thanks in advance.

print(type(int))

The full answer is here: [What are metaclasses in Python?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/100003/what-are-metaclasses-in-python/6581949#6581949). `type` is the default metaclass. — Giacomo Alzetta, Sep 26 '19 at 12:06
`int` is a type, and the type of a type is a metaclass. Instances of a metaclass are types. — martineau, Sep 26 '19 at 12:07

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 26 '19 at 12:09

int IS a type name (class name), while 1 is an object of type int

And "int" would be a string.

Check:

type(1) is int
type(int) is type
type("int") is str
type(str) is type
type(type) is type

Some build-in types are int, str, float, list, set, dict... And yes, all those names by themselves are of type type

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 26 '19 at 12:08

2

int itself is a type

type(0)
#int

type(int)
#type

Your example is no different to

print(type(type(0)))

answered Sep 26 '19 at 12:08

tomgalpin

2 Answers2