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How to fix "TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable" in Python?

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Introduction

The error message "TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable" is raised when you try to use square brackets on a built-in function or method in Python, which is not allowed. In this tutorial, we will go over some examples of common causes of this error and how to fix them.

Example 1: Using square brackets on the "len" function

# This will raise the TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable
x = [1, 2, 3]
print(len(x)[0])

Solution 1: Use the built-in function or method as intended

# Instead of trying to access an element of the returned value, just use the function or method as intended
x = [1, 2, 3]
print(len(x))

Example 2: Assigning a built-in function or method to a variable

# This will raise the TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable
x = len
print(x[0])

Solution 2: Use the built-in function or method directly

# Instead of assigning the function to a variable, use the built-in function or method directly
x = [1, 2, 3]
print(len(x))

Example 3: Confusing a list method with a list

# This will raise the TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable
x = [1, 2, 3]
print(x.append[0])

Solution 3: Use the list method as intended

# Instead of trying to access an element of the returned value, just use the method as intended
x = [1, 2, 3]
x.append(4)
print(x)

Conclusion

By understanding the examples and solutions provided in this tutorial, you should be able to fix the "TypeError: builtin_function_or_method object is not subscriptable" error in your Python code. Remember that built-in functions and methods in Python cannot be used with square brackets and should be used as intended.

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