Python Type Annotations at Runtime
In Python, type annotations are primarily used for static analysis and documentation purposes, and by default, they are not enforced at runtime. However, there are tools and libraries available that allow for runtime type checking based on these annotations. One such tool is `typing_extensions` module, which provides the `runtime` submodule containing functions like `runtime_checkable` and `check_type`. These functions enable developers to perform runtime type checking based on type annotations. Additionally, libraries like `pydantic` and `dataclasses` offer built-in support for runtime type validation and conversion based on type annotations. While enforcing type annotations at runtime can provide additional safety and reliability, it's important to note that it comes with some performance overhead and may not always be necessary depending on the nature of the project.