How to clear variables in ipython?

Question

Sometimes I rerun a script within the same ipython session and I get bad surprises when variables haven't been cleared. How do I clear all variables? And is it possible to force this somehow every time I invoke the magic command %run?

Thanks

score 245 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 08 '14 at 10:27

245

%reset seems to clear defined variables.

answered Apr 08 '14 at 10:27

aisbaa

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Thanks. Any way to set it automatically before each %run? – grasshopper Apr 08 '14 at 13:04
Don't know, but you could run python script from shell terminal. – aisbaa Apr 08 '14 at 14:00
hey grasshopper did you find out how to do this? So annoying! – WillJones Feb 04 '15 at 18:33
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You could convert your script into a function to keep the global namespace clean. – Robert Pollak Feb 10 '15 at 09:56
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Just found %reset -f clears the global namespace without user confirmation – WillJones Feb 18 '15 at 12:21
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yes reset -f is great, no need to manually confirm every time any more :) – user3723247 Apr 18 '18 at 07:40
@aisbaa what is the "%" sign called in this case ? – Aug 07 '18 at 09:09
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@Victor `%` is used for ipython magic commands here's `%reset` https://ipython.readthedocs.io/en/stable/interactive/magics.html#magic-reset – aisbaa Aug 08 '18 at 11:14

SeF · Answer 2 · 2018-08-26T15:01:46.720

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EDITED after @ErdemKAYA comment.

To erase a variable, use the magic command:

%reset_selective <regular_expression>

The variables that are erased from the namespace are the one matching the given <regular_expression>.

Therefore

%reset_selective -f a

will erase all the variables containing an a.

Instead, to erase only a and not aa:

In: a, aa = 1, 2
In: %reset_selective -f "^a$"
In: a  # raise NameError
In: aa  # returns 2

see as well %reset_selective? for more examples and https://regexone.com/ for a regex tutorial.

To erase all the variables in the namespace see:

%reset?

edited Aug 26 '18 at 15:01

answered Nov 13 '14 at 09:48

SeF

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Otherwise "del a" from python, can be used as well. – SeF Aug 17 '16 at 14:12
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Nope, this command will treat `name_variable` as a regex statement, and will remove whatever that matches to it. – Erdem KAYA Aug 25 '18 at 09:13
@ErdemKAYA thanks, I never noticed it before! Answer edited. – SeF Aug 26 '18 at 14:53
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Not at all! :) It is somewhat counter intuitive indeed. – Erdem KAYA Aug 30 '18 at 20:39

Joop · Answer 3 · 2017-06-16T14:17:51.367

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In iPython you can remove a single variable like this:

del x

edited Jun 16 '17 at 14:17

answered May 17 '17 at 09:07

Joop

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score 22 · Answer 4 · edited May 27 '18 at 17:26

22

I tried

%reset -f

and cleared all the variables and contents without prompt. -f does the force action on the given command without prompting for yes/no.

Wish this helps.. :)

edited May 27 '18 at 17:26

zx485

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answered Apr 04 '18 at 05:35

Babu K.M.

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score 13 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 13 '17 at 18:05

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Adding the following lines to a new script will clear all variables each time you rerun the script:

from IPython import get_ipython
get_ipython().magic('reset -sf')

To make life easy, you can add them to your default template.

In Spyder: Tools>Preferences>Editor>Edit template

answered Apr 13 '17 at 18:05

Carl

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I like this as it can also be run from a script. – Zargo Jul 01 '19 at 08:50

score 10 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 22 '18 at 12:38

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Apart from the methods mentioned earlier. You can also use the command del to remove multiple variables

del variable1,variable2

answered Nov 22 '18 at 12:38

Devarshi Mandal

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 07 '17 at 10:49

0

An quit option in the Console Panel will also clear all variables in variable explorer

*** Note that you will be loosing all the code which you have run in Console Panel

answered Oct 07 '17 at 10:49

Sirish

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score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 18 '22 at 16:11

The get_ipython().magic() method raises a DeprecationWarning in ipython 8.1. Here is the new version of Carl's answer

 from IPython import get_ipython
 get_ipython().run_line_magic('reset', '-sf')

Add these lines to a file you are editing. Then at the ipython command prompt you can type,

%run file_you_are_editing.py

How to clear variables in ipython?

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