How to Fix - NameError name 'exit' is not defined

If you’re a Python developer, you may have encountered the “NameError: name ‘exit’ is not defined” error at some point. This error occurs when you try to use the exit() function in your code, but Python doesn’t recognize it.

In this tutorial, we’ll explore the causes of this error and provide step-by-step instructions on how to fix it. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a better understanding of how to resolve the “NameError: name ‘exit’ is not defined” error and ensure that your Python code runs smoothly.

Why does the `NameError: name 'exit' is not defined` error occur?

This error occurs because Python cannot find exit in its namespace. It is important to keep in mind that exit() is not a built-in function in Python. The exit() function is present in the sys module and thus if you want to use it, you must import it from the sys module.

To resolve the above error, you need to correctly import the exit() function which you can do in the following ways –

1) Only import the exit function from the sys module

# import the exit function from the sys module
from sys import exit

# use the exit function when required
exit()

2) Import the sys module and then access the exit() function using sys.exit()

# import the sys module
import sys

# use the exit function when required
sys.exit()

Conclusion

The NameError: name 'exit' is not defined error occurs when Python cannot find the exit() function. This error can be fixed by using the sys.exit() function, importing the exit() function from the sys module, or properly importing the script that contains the exit() function.

Author

Piyush Raj

Piyush is a data professional passionate about using data to understand things better and make informed decisions. He has experience working as a Data Scientist in the consulting domain and holds an engineering degree from IIT Roorkee. His hobbies include watching cricket, reading, and working on side projects.

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Why does the NameError: name 'exit' is not defined error occur?

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Why does the `NameError: name 'exit' is not defined` error occur?