In Python, decorators are a design pattern that allows you to modify the behavior of a function or method. They work by wrapping another function, thereby extending its behavior without altering its original code. A decorator is itself a function that takes another function as an argument and returns a new function that adds some kind of functionality.

Here’s a simple example:

def my_decorator(func):
def wrapper():
print(“Before the function call”)
func()
print(“After the function call”)
return wrapper

@my_decorator
def say_hello():
print(“Hello!”)

say_hello()

In this example, my_decorator is a decorator that adds print statements before and after the say_hello function. The @my_decorator syntax is a shorthand for applying the decorator to the say_hello function.

Decorators can also accept arguments, allowing for more flexibility. They are commonly used for logging, access control, and memoization, among other tasks. By using decorators, you can keep your code clean, modular, and reusable, as they help separate core functionality from auxiliary concerns.