title: Python class @property: use setter but evade getter?
body: <p>In python classes, the @property is a nice decorator that avoids using explicit setter and getter functions. However, it comes at a cost of an overhead 2-5 times that of a "classical" class function. In my case, this is quite OK in the case of setting a property, where the overhead is insignificant compared to the processing that needs to be done when setting. </p>
  
  <p>However, I need no processing when getting the property. It is always just "return self.property". Is there an elegant way to use the setter but not using the getter, without needing to use a different internal variable?</p>
  
  <p>Just to illustrate, the class below has the property "var" which refers to the internal variable "_var". It takes longer to call "var" than "_var" but it would be nice if developers and users alike could just use "var" without having to keep track of "_var" too.</p>
  
  <pre><code>class MyClass(object):
    def __init__(self):
      self._var = None
  
    # the property "var". First the getter, then the setter
    @property
    def var(self):
      return self._var
    @var.setter
    def var(self, newValue):
      self._var = newValue
      #... and a lot of other stuff here
  
    # Use "var" a lot! How to avoid the overhead of the getter and not to call self._var!
    def useAttribute(self):
      for i in xrange(100000):
        self.var == 'something'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For those interested, on my pc calling "var" takes 204 ns on average while calling "_var" takes 44 ns on average.</p>