The error ValueError: Circular reference detected typically occurs in Python when there’s a situation where an object or data structure refers back to itself, either directly or indirectly. This often happens in scenarios involving recursive data structures, such as trees or graphs, or when an object contains a reference to itself.
Here’s how you can resolve this:
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Identify the circular reference: Review the data structure you’re working with and check where an object is referencing itself. For instance, if you’re using lists, dictionaries, or custom objects, ensure there is no loop where one object references another, which then references the first object again.
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Use
weakref: If you need to avoid circular references (especially with objects in a graph structure), you might want to useweakrefto avoid creating strong references, which can lead to cycles. -
Check your serialization: If you’re trying to serialize (using
json.dumps(), for example), make sure the structure doesn’t contain circular references. You can either modify the structure or use a custom encoder to handle it.
If you’d like more specific help, feel free to share the code that’s causing the error!